To Be Free
by Miss I.L.A.B
Summary: AU. As far as anyone knew, Monkey D. Luffy died at the age of five. Two years later, Luffy reappears and has been on the run ever since. When he moves to East Blue, he meets people whose lives would entangle with his irrevocably.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: No matter how it seems this chapter, this is not an OC fic. I apologize beforehand for any grammar mistakes, OOC-ness, and spelling errors. Warning, this is an alternate universe.

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><p>August 2001<p>

A young man burst into a large office, panting heavily.

"Sir, some complications came up during the operation!" The tall and muscled man declared, looking rather nervous. It was peculiar, seeing a man as strong as he appeared, cower in fear of someone else.

"What is it?" the other man, sitting comfortably behind a wooden desk, demanded. This man was significantly older. He gave out a dark aura, and had an odd gleam in his eyes. He also looked quite amused, his thin lips twitching up into a smirk.

"The soldiers you ordered to kidnap Monkey D. Dragon accidentally killed him," the younger man reported, beginning to sweat bullets. No one wanted to give the boss bad news, after all. Who knew whether they would live from the ordeal?

"Nothing I haven't already heard," the older man said, intertwining his fingers on top of his desk. "Stop looking so anxious, you fool. Grow a back bone," he stated condescendingly, staring pointedly at the jumpy man. The boss hated weaklings. Sure, they were entertaining every once in a while, but he would not tolerate having cowards under his command.

"Y-Yes Sir!" The man paled and saluted, straightening up immediately.

"I've received news that the body was never found. What makes you so sure that he's dead?" The boss questioned, raising a single eyebrow.

"We secured the scene and brought in the forensic specialists. They tell me that the amount of blood found there was enough to confirm that he died of blood loss," the man elaborated, still squirming under the boss's glaze.

"Is that so?" The boss questioned, his stare hardening. "I expect a full written report on the mission by tomorrow. But until then, you are dismissed, soldier." The man bowed stiffly and exited the room. It wasn't until he was metres away from the office that he breathed a sigh of relief, happy to have survived the encounter with the boss. Today's challenge was done.

Back in the spacious office, the man's cold eyes narrowed.

"Monkey D. Dragon, are you really dead?"

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><p>February 2003<p>

Damien was scared.

Shivering in trepidation, he pulled the thin red blanket he had been given closer, trying to ignore the loud footsteps outside. Mother was acting weird again. Hysterical sobbing could be heard from the living room, followed by uncontrollable laughter.

Shaking, the seven year old boy covered his ears in a futile attempt to drown out the noise. He clamped his eyes shut, and tried to force himself back into an uneasy slumber. It didn't work. The black haired child jumped as the door creaked open loudly, his pupils widening in fear.

A tall and skinny woman in her late twenties stood at the door. Her flaxen hair was disheveled and her hazel eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her arms consisted of scratches inflicted by probably her own sharp nails, and her skin retained a sickly pallor, making her dark eye circles stand out. To Damien, she resembled the zombies he had recalled seeing once on television when she was out.

"Damien. Damien! Where are you?" The woman shrieked, her glassy brown eyes darting around the tiny room, searching but not seeing.

When Mother advanced to his lumpy bed, and he swiftly ducked under the covers, as if the fragile piece of cloth could shield him from the insane woman.

"There you are!" She exclaimed while she grabbed the red blanket away from him in one single motion, disposing it on the cold floor. Mother pulled him into a strong embrace, stroking and patting his back, cooing at him as though he was an infant. Tears leaked from the corner of her already puffy eyes and her grip on him tightened, causing slight pain. Damien whimpered. When Mother finally released him from her grasp a few minutes later, she froze, and Damien recoiled instantly, anticipating what would occur next.

A resounding slap echoed throughout the room.

"You're not Damien! You little monster! Where is he?" The blonde woman screeched, her hands wrapping around his fragile throat, wringing and strangling. The scrawny boy choked, warm tears flowing from his onyx eyes in streams. He struggled weakly, unable to find his voice.

"Die, you demon! How dare you impersonate my son?" Mother accused him lividly, suffocating him, depriving him of precious oxygen. Damien, having no other choice, reluctantly stretched his arm very far back in an alarming fashion, and punched the woman hard in her stomach, the force knocking her into the plain wall behind. The large impact created a small crater, and Mother fell to the floor with a loud thud. He inhaled vigorously, trying to regulate his racing heartbeat.

"U-Ungrateful… brat," Mother mumbled, "I-I gave you f-food… and w-water," she coughed out blood into her hand, crimson staining her long fingers. "T-this is h-how you repay me…" She fought to stand up, but only collapsed once more. This time, her head made contact with the ceramic tiles, producing a sickening crack. "I-Inhuman," she spat out as she lost consciousness.

Damien huddled into a small ball, still staring at the fallen figure. He hated using his bizarre abilities. According to Mother, they were evil, and by using those stretching skills, it made him evil too. Tears prickled in his obsidian eyes again. He didn't want to be evil! Why can't he be normal like everyone else? As sadness and loneliness dampened his mood, he shut down, and let his body run on auto pilot.

Wiping away the wetness on his cheeks, he stood up unsteadily, and crept towards Mother. Checking to make sure that she was unconscious, he proceeded cautiously, lifting the middle aged adult with his astonishing strength and carried her back into her well furnished room. He gently tucked her into bed, before cleaning off any traces of blood on her body gingerly. Damien moved robotically, as if he had done so hundreds of times.

He only hoped Mother would forget this by tomorrow.

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><p>He was thankful for winter. Clad in an over-sized coat, Damien massaged his throat through his old, knitted scarf, wincing in pain every now and then. Only when it snowed, could he pull off something like this. Concealer can only get you so far and the bruises on his neck were huge and noticeable. A scarf was the perfect solution to his dilemma.<p>

It wasn't that bad, Damien reassured himself. Mother had been lenient this time, when she awoke in the morning. She had only given him a mere beating. His ribs didn't hurt as much anymore, and none of his bones were broken. She didn't use the cane either. The wounds on his arms and legs would heal, like they always did.

Walking to the park, he watched as other parents played with their kids blissfully, making snow mans and snow angels while laughing. If only he could be like that with Mother. If only he wasn't evil, and didn't need to be punished. If only he was normal... He strolled away feeling rather depressed, entering the noisy park occupied by happy families and children having joyful snow ball fights.

Damien snapped out of it when something very cold hit him straight in his face, fast and hard.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to hit you!" A boy who was older than him dressed in a bright blue coat called out while approaching him. He looked around ten, with short blond hair and a missing tooth.

"I-it's okay…" Damien stuttered, unused to people talking to him. He wiped the melting snow off his left cheek quickly, as if embarrassed. Now that he had a closer look, he decided that the older boy was weird. He wore a black top hat, which would have been okay if it wasn't winter, or if it didn't have a pair of blue goggles on it. The boy in question stared at him oddly.

"I haven't seen you around here, and I sneak out to come here almost every day! Are you new in town?" The boy asked curiously.

"No… I don't go out often. Mother doesn't like it. She's out today, so I decided to come see the snow," the younger boy said softly. He really was being quite shy.

"Oh, I understand. I have strict parents too. My name's Sabo, what's yours?" The taller blond inquired, grinning. Damien deliberated for a while, wondering if he should answer. Mother always told him not to talk to strangers. Looking at the older boy's smiling face, he decided.

"Damien, nice to meet you," he said without the slightest hint of hesitation, beaming. Sabo chuckled at his sudden enthusiasm.

"You know, you don't look like a Damien," Sabo declared teasingly, scrutinizing him. Damien stiffened at the seemingly harmless joke. True, Damien wasn't his real name. Damien was the name Mother had given him after she found him lying in an alley two years ago. He couldn't remember anything before that fateful night, not his name or his previous life.

But, but sometimes, he would have dreams… "Damien isn't my real name…"

"_Go! Take him and go, Roger!" A man with tribal tattoos on the left side of his face shouted. The sound of bullets being fired filled the air as he was lifted by a tall man with a moustache. His surroundings blurred as the man carried him further and further from the brutal scene. Red. Blood. Fire. "Take care of Luffy for me!"_

"Hey, are you alright?" A hand was waving in front of his face, the vision he had disappearing. He panted loudly, clutching his head. It hurt. And what was that? Luffy… T-that sounded familiar…

"Yeah…" He responded after a while, needing a moment to regain his composure. The name triggered a series of short and ambiguous visions, as if they were trying to tell him something. When it hit him, he almost lost his balance. He remembered it.

Staring into Sabo's eyes confidently, he stated, "It's Luffy."

"Huh?" Sabo appeared confused.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy."

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><p>Cassie: Thank you for your time.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Thank you so much for all the Reviews and Story Alerts. They were greatly appreciated. I sincerely apologize for all the mistakes I've made so far.

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><p>August 2001<p>

The report was delivered to his desk at exactly dawn the next morning. The boss grinned, satisfied with the efficiency of his soldiers. However, that might have had something to do with the fact that almost everyone was intimidated by him. Well, a healthy dose of fear never hurt anyone.

Picking it up, the boss flipped through it slowly, taking several moments to glean the relevant details he required.

_When we arrived, the target was situated in the living room with his son. He didn't seem to notice us, so I quickly gave out the orders to block all exits. Soon, we had them completely surrounded. We closed in on them discreetly, but before we could make the first move, a man, later identified as Gol D. Roger, penetrated one of our defenses by taking out a few soldiers. The target then whipped out a gun, and fought back ferociously, as if he was expecting us. He then shouted to the intruder to take his son and leave. The target distracted us, and the intruder got away with his son. I sent soldiers to pursue them immediately. The rest of us stayed to acquire the target, but unfortunately he escaped, heavily wounded. It was later confirmed that he died of blood loss. The body was never found. On the other hand, our soldiers chased Gol D. Roger all the way to Logue Town, where he was eventually subdued. The body has been taken care of. The son is missing. Damage Report states that we had four casualties, seven in critical condition._

_Signed,_

_Officer-In-Charge_

The boss placed the yellow file back on the desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. There were too many loose ends. Monkey D. Dragon was a genius, so of course he had anticipated this. The boss refused to assume that this man was dead until he saw the corpse himself. But until he found the man, the research would have to be put on hiatus.

Before he resigned abruptly, Monkey D. Dragon had bugged the laboratory with intricate traps that most likely involved bodily harm when activated. If it was only that, he could always employ more manpower to slowly take the laboratory apart. But knowing Dragon, the minute the real research was accessed, the whole laboratory would self-destruct. That's why they needed to capture Dragon in the first place.

Gol D. Roger, Dragon's research partner, would have been a suitable replacement if he hadn't mysteriously vanished three months ago. Who would have thought that he would show up now of all times? The boss suddenly felt a surge of anger towards his subordinates. Who told them to dispose of Roger anyway? Certainly not him.

It didn't help that the son was missing as well. The government had granted his request to conduct this research under the conditions that it be kept under wraps. If the son blabs to the police, the story would go public. Then the government would be forced to clean up the mess, thus rousing even more suspicion. This section would be closed down permanently.

The boss drummed his fingers against the wooden desk idly, trying to decide what would be the best course of action to take. Dragon was probably out of the state by now, so dispatching some men after him would be quite useless. His best bet was to locate the son; the boy with so much potential.

"_Sir, we manage to find out something interesting," his secretary started, handing him a small recorder. "I thought you might want to know. This is a recorded conversation we overheard between Monkey D. Dragon and Gol D. Roger."_

"_Was this taken from Dragon's house?" The boss questioned, taking the recorder from her smooth, out-reached palm._

"_Yes sir." The boss smirked smugly, praising himself for planting audio recording devices in Dragon's house. He knew that they would come in handy some day. They had been tapping into their phone lines too, for several months now. He pressed the red button on the recorder, and instantly, a light buzzing could be heard._

"_**-not sure how it happened. I knew Luffy was bored, so I just let him watch. I rarely bring home work from the laboratory anyway, so I could understand why he was fascinated," Dragon said, sounding exasperated. "I left the house for half an hour to run some errands, and when I came home, I found him disassembling and re-building what I was working on earlier!" Dragon stated incredulously. "You know the stuff I work with are highly complex and dangerous!"**_

_**Roger chuckled, amused. "Your son, Luffy, might be slow sometimes, but when it comes to science and technology, he's a prodigy. Reminds me of you when you were younger."**_

"_**You say that like it's a good thing. His thinking processes are extremely similar to mine. I have no doubt that in one or two decades, he would be able to dismantle everything we've set up in the laboratory." Dragon said, rather frustrated. However, there was a distinct tint of pride in his tone.**_

_The recording was cut off. The boss smiled sinisterly. So Dragon's son was showing signs of following in his father's footsteps. Now that was interesting. If he was right, the boy was only five this year. A prodigy indeed. Maybe in time he would consider recruiting the boy._

The conversation had been recorded way back in February, two months before the disappearance of Gol D. Roger. He had almost forgotten about it. The boss digested the information. So according to Dragon, in ten or so years, the boy would have reached a level of intelligence on par with his father. Gears turned rapidly in his head. And suddenly, a wide disturbing grin contorted his features.

That was it. He'll kill two birds with one stone.

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><p>February 2003<p>

Luffy skipped home with a big goofy smile on his child-like features. A smile that eventually became more and more strained with every step he took in the direction of his house. Today was the first time in two years where he felt genuine bliss. Sabo was so nice! The blond adolescent had offered sweets to him and afterwards, invited Luffy to play with him as well! Even now he could feel pure happiness bubbling inside of him, though the warm feeling was rapidly draining out. He realized he didn't want to go home.

Going home meant not coming out for an undetermined period of time. It all depended on Mother. Only on dates where she was out for the entire day, could he sneak out unnoticed. Sometimes, this could mean days, weeks or even occasionally, months. And after today, Luffy didn't think he could live with that.

He felt warm tears building up in his coal black eyes at the mere thought. It's been so long since he had been treated like a real human being that he had actually forgotten how it felt. That warmth, that incredible, exhilarating warmth he felt when he was happy- Oh, how he missed it. If he went home, he might forget again.

Luffy stopped short in front of the house door, sniffling. No, he couldn't afford to be this weak. He willed his tears back, attempting to contain his raw emotions. Hesitantly, he fished out a metal paperclip from his coat pocket, leaning forward to pick the lock. It was tricky, but he had gotten used to it. The door opened with a loud audible click. Staring at the open entrance, Luffy's eyes dulled. Reluctantly, he stepped indoors.

Closing the door, he locked it securely from the inside so it wouldn't seem suspicious to Mother when she returned. For now, he had something important he needed to do. Trying to ignore the emptiness he suddenly felt, he crept into Mother's visibly larger room. Her room was horrendously messy, with everything ranging from cheap cosmetics to torn bills strewn around everywhere. At the far corner, a practically ancient computer was situated on a small wooden desk.

He climbed onto a wobbly stool in front of the table and quickly switched it on. As content as he was just now when he was playing with Sabo, there was something that adamantly declined to leave his mind.

Monkey D. Luffy. His real name. Now that was a lead he could follow. Curiosity demanded that he uncover the truth. There were so many questions he had swimming in his head. Why couldn't he remember anything? Why did he have strange powers? Who was he really?

Hacking into the government's database, it only took him a few seconds to find his file.

Name: Monkey D. Luffy

Date of Birth: 5th May 1996

Blood Type: O+

Father: Monkey D. Dragon

He blinked at the screen. "Monkey D. Dragon," Luffy articulated, testing the name on his tongue. He felt a brief sense of nostalgia, before an onslaught of emotions assaulted him mercilessly, accompanied by the second headache he experienced today. He let out a shocked gasp, his hands instinctively moved to support his pounding skull. Hazy flashes clouded his eyesight, and he heard earsplitting voices screaming in his head.

_Remember. Remember. Remember!_

It was agony. The excruciating pain made him see stars. The world was spinning around him at a speed that made him insanely dizzy. Loud bangs were all he could hear. Bullets, his barely functioning brain informed him.

Luffy realized that he wasn't in his house anymore. His eyesight might be deteriorating but he could tell that wherever he was, light was sparse. Squinting his eyes, he discovered that he was in a dark alley. At this very moment, he could see a blur figure of a tall, mustached man kneeling in front of him. Luffy felt a rough hand ruffle his hair affectionately, followed by a tiny prick in his right arm.

"_Forget everything, Luffy." The man said with kind but regretful eyes. "Forget everything, and you'll be safe."_

And just like that, his head didn't hurt anymore. His vision refocused in seconds, and he was once again in Mother's bedroom. Luffy inhaled feebly, resting his head on the keyboard. Him again. The mustached man he had recalled seeing from his last headache. What was going on? Just what couldn't he remember?

Questions, questions, and more questions! Luffy needed some answers now! Gathering himself together, Luffy scrolled the screen down, his eyes glued to the monitor.

Mother: Unknown

Status: Deceased in 2001

Deceased. Luffy didn't understand. Didn't deceased mean dead? But he was still here, wasn't he? He racked his brain trying to figure out its meaning. His eyebrows were screwed together tightly in concentration, portraying a perfect picture of a confused child. Suddenly, as if a light bulb was turned on above his head, his eyes lit up in comprehension. Oh! He got it.

He was a mystery child! Luffy nodded to himself, grinning. Now that made sense. He was just about to click the link that led to his father's profile when he heard the familiar jingling of keys. Luffy paled. Panicking, he quickly annihilated all traces of history on the computer before promptly shutting it down. His heart slammed against his ribcage wildly as he made a mad dash out of Mother's room and into his own.

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><p>He made a new friend today. Sabo grinned, revealing his missing tooth. Now, that was a rare occurrence.<p>

Due to his extremely wealthy parents, there were few people Sabo could actually trust. You could ask every single kid that was around his age in Fuusha, and they would all claim that they were his best friend. His real friends however, Sabo could count all of them in one hand. Perhaps it was because of this, Sabo had noticed Luffy.

From the very first glance, Sabo could tell that Luffy was special. The large, thick coat that the younger boy had adorned had almost buried him from sight. The scrawny kid, who looked around six, was shuffling around, kicking stones and looking positively lost. Sabo had never seen him in town before.

Luffy might not have been aware, but Sabo had thrown that snowball on purpose. He wasn't playing with anyone at that time, so there was really no particular reason why he should be randomly chucking ice at people. He did it because it was a great conversation starter with strangers. It turned out to be the greatest decision he had made in days!

Sabo climbed over the back gate nimbly and stealthily, not wanting to draw attention. It was night time already. Sabo had ditched his chauffeur earlier, so he had to walk home. It didn't bother him even though it was a long journey. He liked being alone every once in a while. The beautiful stars were great company. Sabo pulled the back door open slowly, cringing at the shrill, creaking sound it produced.

Scanning the surrounding area, Sabo quickly deducted that his parents were in the living room, judging by the bright light that emitted from the open entrance. He took a death breath, and prayed fervently for his parents not to detect his arrival. All he had to do was slip past the living room. There was a direct route back into the sanctuary of his room after that.

Sabo tiptoed past the entrance silently, peeking inside to see his parents on the expensive leather sofa his father had purchased. And as if his mother had some kind of six sense, her head snapped towards him. Great, just great.

"Sabo! Get in here at once!" His mother shouted in her annoying, high pitched voice.

Sabo paused, before obeying her grudgingly. He entered the huge room, eyeing all the luxurious items and artifacts his father had acquired distastefully. Soon, he stood straight in front of his enraged mother.

"Where have you been, young man?" The tall woman with shoulder length blonde hair screeched, her nostrils flaring. Before he could reply, his mother cut in. "You have better not been hanging around those filthy commoners again!"

Sabo scowled at her offensive words. He didn't like what she was implying. "There's nothing wrong with them, mother! Some of them are nice people!" Unlike her, Sabo added in his head. He looked to the side, and saw his father reading his newspaper nonchalantly on the couch. The large man had hardly glanced at them, seemingly satisfied to leave the reprimanding to his mother.

"Nothing wrong? Don't you dare talk back to me, young man! Look, this is exactly what happens when you hang around those hooligans! Such bad influence!" His mother spat out loathingly. Sabo saw red, how dare she talk about his friends like that! He thought back to the small, cheerful boy he met today, and almost screamed at the injustice of her insinuation. Luffy was nothing like she described.

"My friends are great! Luffy couldn't be bad even if his life depended on it!" Sabo screamed in retaliation, black eyes blazing with indignation. Rustling of paper could be heard in the background. His father had just set down the paper.

"I don't care who- " His mother was interrupted by his father, who raised a hand to silence her. Sabo shrank back a little under his father's unwavering glaze. He had always been scared of his father.

"Repeat what you said earlier." His father demanded calmly, his onyx eyes exhibiting a feral gleam. Sabo was taken aback. He had expected his father to chide him.

"W-What?" Sabo stuttered timidly, fiddling with his fingers. His previous confidence had disintegrated into dust before this man.

"That name. Your friend's name." His father elaborated impatiently. Sabo was puzzled, even more so after his father's clarification.

"You mean Luffy?" Sabo offered warily, and his father's expression became almost predatory. Sabo flinched at the glee his father was showing.

"His full name," his father ordered, staring him down. Sabo twitched and shivered considerably, his hands fisted in his coat's pockets.

"Monkey D. Luffy," Sabo finally said, his eyes never leaving the carpeted floor. At this, his father let out a dark chuckle and patted him on the back. Sabo didn't know what to say, astonished by the rare display of approval. Most days, his father could only tolerate him.

"Don't punish the boy, dear. He did us a great favor." His father declared, and glared when his mother looked like she was going to protest. That silenced her immediately, and Sabo could see her quaking in her fancy, lavender dress. Turning to Sabo, his father grinned proudly. "There might still be hope for you yet, my boy," his father stated, and left the flabbergasted pair.

Heading into his study, the man started dialing a number.

He couldn't wait to claim credit for his discovery.

"Hello?" Came the voice from the other line. The man smirked greedily. He would finally get his well deserved promotion.

"Tell the boss we found him. The brat that disappeared two years ago."

Sabo had absolutely no idea how much he changed Luffy's life that day.

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><p>Cassie: I'm sorry if you didn't like a slightly smarter Luffy.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Well, just so you know, this is going to be a really long story. How many of you realized that I wrote that winter occurred in March? I don't live in a country with four seasons, thus things like this slip my mind. I feel rather stupid now. Anyway, thank you for all the support I received in the previous chapter.

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><p>February 2003<p>

"Damien, I'm going out for a while, alright?" Mother informed him sweetly, crouching down to plant a small kiss on his forehead. Luffy nodded wordlessly, rather surprised. The thin boy couldn't remember the last time she had been sober. Had it been weeks, or months?

Mother patted him on his head gently, heading out the door with a beautiful smile. He froze at the minor gesture. Reeling himself back to reality, he walked towards a wooden desk in the living room, picking up a small photo frame tentatively. It was not the first time Luffy had been captivated by it.

The simple frame was constructed out of pure silver, with intricate carvings decorating the sides. However it wasn't the pretty frame that caught Luffy's attention. The photograph inside portrayed a stunning young woman in her prime, her charming face positively radiant and her gold spun hair fluttering in the wind. She was carrying a small toddler lovingly, an adorable and chubby child with short black hair and big, sapphire eyes. A tall, burly man accompanied her, his matching sapphire eyes full of mirth as he watched his partner coddle the boy.

They were at the local park, probably in spring, judging by the lush scenery and dappled sun. Luffy's glaze was fixated solely on the blonde woman. Mother. The years have not been kind on her. It was difficult to associate the dazzling lady in the photograph with the haggard-looking woman Mother was today. But when she smiled at him just a while ago, a brief smile so bright that it almost blinded him, it was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing the striking woman obscured underneath.

Mother strongly resembled the woman when she clear-headed, free of any alcoholic influence. On those good, rare days, she was the mother everyone wanted; nice, caring, and understanding. Times like that, Luffy felt loved. However, Luffy always knew that her love wasn't directed towards him. He clenched his fists tightly as envy reared its hideous head.

The lucky receiver would be this toddler in the picture, Damien. Upon the discovery of his real name, Luffy had confirmed his previous speculations. It was sad denial on his part, but he had always hoped that he was Mother's biological child. For that childish fantasy, he had shamelessly ignored the fact that his eyes were obsidian while the toddler in the photograph had sapphire irises.

Mother was not always pleasant. On most days, she disciplined him because he deserved it. Whether it was because of his strange abilities or his plain stupidity, Mother was ruthless when she dealt out her punishments. But she was his mother. Or as close to one he was going to get. Mother was the only person he had ever since two years ago, and Luffy desperately wanted her to like him.

_There was nothing, but darkness. _

_In the eternal, endless void, emptiness thrived. He didn't possess a sense of time; his inherent intuition was terribly out of whack, as there was nothing that indicated change. He couldn't remember how long he spent there. He could hardly think. Everything was just so horribly blank. _

_Then, without the barest hint or warning, change finally occurred. Thus, pain conquered the transient realm, bringing forward a new era. The boy felt. He could feel his limp body, and most of all, the searing pain in his skull. Agony. Regaining tactile sensation in his body was just a step before using them. His eyelids fluttered open slowly, and he was momentarily rendered sightless by the glaring light. As his eyes adjusted, he could make out blobs of colours and shapes._

_And just like that, the realm vanished, disintegrating into thin air. He could smell a faint whiff of perfume, and hear the birds chirping merrily outside. Bareness was substituted with a barrage of questions. Where was he? Who was he? He felt slim fingers stroking his hair affectionately, and he craned his head up to find a smiling woman with warm hazel eyes. _

"_Oh, you're finally awake!" The stranger fussed over him incessantly, asking him whether he desired anything. Food, water, more blankets. It took him a moment to realize that he was down with high fever. _

"_W-Where am I?" He asked inquisitively, his voice hoarse from the lack of use. "Who am I?" The boy added after a second thought. He sat up dizzily, reclining into the soft pillows he had been lying on. The excruciating pain in his head was receding at a steady pace. _

_The woman paused abruptly, adopting a more serious demeanor. There was an odd twinkle in her brown irises. "Honey, can you remember anything before you woke up?" The boy shook his head, downcast. _

"_Oh dear, you poor thing," the woman said sympathetically, "You can stay with me for as long as you like." The offer was tempting and really, the boy didn't have much of a choice. He glazed into the woman's beautiful shining eyes, and there was no doubt he was staying. He was enamored, roped in by soothing words and warm body language. _

"_What do I call you?" The boy enquired sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck. The woman pressed a bent finger to her full lips and thought. She snapped her fingers in triumph when she got it. _

"_You can call me Mother. You don't recall your name, do you?" The boy once again shook his head shamefully before looking down at the ceramic tiles. The woman laughed gleefully, tilting his head to face hers. _

"_No need to feel ashamed, honey. I'll give you a name." She leaned closer to pat his cheek delicately. She beamed, revealing a row of perfect, white teeth. _

"_Damien, your name will be Damien. My little darling." _

If only Mother had remained that gentle.

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><p>Two years.<p>

For two years, the boy had managed to get by undetected, hiding in a midst of millions of strangers. On official government records, he had already been declared dead. These two years had been exasperating, a futile attempt to locate a needle in a haystack.

And now, they had finally caught a glimpse of the boy's elusive shadow. A shadow that they were never going to release.

Dragon's son had emerged in Fuusha, finally materializing on their radar. It was just a matter of time before they find him. The boss skimmed through the data spread out on his desk, with enthusiasm he hadn't felt in ages. There was no one in Fuusha by the name of Monkey. D Luffy, or any other variation of the name. That was to be anticipated. After all, if he was, they would have tracked him down long ago.

His subordinates had also matched the photographs of all male children in Fuusha around the age of six to eight with a picture of Monkey D. Luffy, around the age of three. It was the only photograph they had of Dragon's son, the one registered on his birth records. Due to the major age difference, they were unable to have a confirmed match, although there were children with similar facial features.

Another file contained the most likely candidates. They had narrowed it down to twenty children. The boss browsed through the file's contents.

Michael Taylor.

William Hudson.

Vincent Walter. The boss halted, analyzing the currently eight years old's photo. The resemblance was a high percentage of 82%, as stated in the file. It was remarkable, how alike the boys looked. Both were small for their age, with ebony hair and eyes. However, Vincent seemed to have more prominent cheekbones, a feature accentuated by the lighting in his photo. Nonetheless, the boss committed the name to memory before continuing.

Chad Anderson.

Damien Pierce. He glanced down at the boy's information curiously, as there were two photos. One was captured when the boy was two, and the other, when he was four. The boss read a short paragraph explaining the abnormal data. Apparently, Damien had thought to have died in a fire when he was three, although the body was never found. At four, the survivor had somehow succeeded in re-finding his mother, Lindsay Pierce, who then filled the authorities in on the matter.

The boss scrutinized the pictures skeptically. There was a slight distinction between the two photographs. In the updated one, the boy was skinnier, with eyes of a darker blue, navy perhaps. They could be tinted contact lenses, he thought suspiciously.

Damien was six this year, four when he reappeared in the records. Dragon's son was currently seven, five when he disappeared… These events all occurred in the same year. What a coincidence. He debated getting his soldiers to follow up the lead. After some deliberation, he decided to do it himself. Impatient and eager, the boss switched on his pricey laptop, and proceeded to gather information.

He hacked into Lindsay Pierce's, formally Lindsay Stanley, traveling records.

Bingo, there it was. A vacation to Logue Town in August 2001.

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><p>He wasn't eavesdropping. Really, he wasn't. Sabo just happened to pass by his father's study in the morning. He had felt a little sick, so he had to lean against the door to support his weight. That was all there was to it. It absolutely did not have anything to do with the fact that he was anxious to know what his father wanted with Luffy.<p>

"-am getting that promotion and it's all thanks to my son. I have never felt prouder." Sabo heard his father speak. His baritone voice was a little muffled, but Sabo was able to decipher what he said. The older man chuckled darkly, and Sabo winced. A ominous, phantom feeling was draped over his shoulders, and suddenly, he felt as if he had done something very, very wrong. "Anyway, what is the boss planning to do?" His father queried, interest seeping into his tone. There was a short-lived silence as his father listened to the person on the other line.

"A division of ten soldiers? Ten people to abduct a mere child, what is the boss thinking?" Sabo's black eyes dilated in alarm and fear. They were planning to kidnap Luffy? What? The more Sabo probed the issue, the more bewildered he became.

What was his father doing? Sabo might not have been particularly close to his father but he never thought his father dabbled into illegal businesses. A plethora of emotions engulfed him as he comprehended the gravity of the situation. His father was a criminal, or at least, aiding a criminal. Disgrace, rage, and terror occupied his fragile mind. Sabo should really stop listening. The entire conversation was detrimental to his psychology.

"As a precaution? Well, I supposed after two years ago, the boss would be extra cautious," Sabo's father agreed gruffly. "You mentioned that the operation to recover the boy would take place today? The boss sure acts fast." His father commented. Sabo's breath hitched. Today? This was all his fault. Sabo didn't know why anyone would want to kidnap Luffy, as he didn't look like he had money, but he knew that if it weren't for him, Luffy would have been safe.

As surprise faded from his shock-addled brain, Sabo sprung into action.

He needed to find Luffy immediately.

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><p>Luffy stared out the window thoughtfully.<p>

His home was situated in a middle-class neighborhood. Opposite, a row of egalitarian two-storey houses stood proudly. White snow occupied the rooftops, making them glisten in the sun. The area was a little remote, as it wasn't in the vicinity of the city. Especially in the morning, when people departed their cozy houses to head to their offices or schools, the place looked especially deserted. Luffy wondered when Mother was returning. Maybe he could go outside.

Gloomily, Luffy observed as people came and went, pressing his face to the window childishly. He sighed, his warm breath fogging up the cool glass. He was so bored. Luffy craved human interaction, he wanted to go find Sabo. The very notion brightened his mood. Speaking of the devil, Luffy caught a flash of blue outside the window. His eyes widened considerably when he realized who it was. Luffy pushed his window open excitedly.

"Sabo!" The boy screamed in genuine delight, his hands waving above him frantically, trying to draw Sabo's attention. Sabo turned to face Luffy, his blond hair wind-tousled and heavy coat wrinkled from sprinting.

Sabo couldn't believe his luck. He had begun his search for Luffy in the park where they had met. When it was evident that Luffy was not present, he had dashed in the direction where he had saw Luffy leave yesterday. He scurried to Luffy's front porch, as the younger boy rushed to unlock the entrance.

"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked happily as soon as the door gave way.

"We've got to go!" Sabo ignored Luffy's question, his right hand reaching forward to grasp Luffy's wrist, pulling him outside urgently.

"Wait what? I can't leave!" Luffy protested, and stood his ground. He was thrilled that Sabo wanted to play with him but Mother could come home any second. He couldn't afford to get into trouble.

"You're in danger!" Sabo argued, tugging Luffy's smaller hand with a larger force. Luffy staggered forward.

"What are you-" Luffy was interupted by a deafening bang. The two boys froze, glancing after the bullet that just missed Sabo's head by a small fraction. The tiny piece of metal had embedded itself into the wall. Turning stiffly, they noticed it originated from a group of masked men just down the street. They were heading towards them at high speed.

"That's enough boys," a tall and brawny man stated, directing it at Sabo. Instead of complying, Sabo did the exact opposite.

"Run! Luffy, Run!" Sabo yelled hysterically. He dragged Luffy up the street, disregarding the threats the masked men issued as they pursued them. Sabo refused to stop even when they started firing warning shots. Luffy, though confused, followed Sabo, flinching every single time a gunshot was heard. He abhorred that sound. He ran as fast as his short legs could carry him, clearly exhausted.

The noise of bullets amplified when the masked men closed the distance. The children attempted to dodge the bullets to the best of their ability. On one occasion, Luffy wasn't quick enough. Sabo watched in horror as the bullet made contact with Luffy's shoulder, piercing- no stretching, and stretching and stretching… What the hell? Sabo blinked, rubbing his eyes and pinching his own skin, hard. The familiar sting of pain informed him that yes, he was indeed conscious.

His horror turned to awe as the bullets rebounded suddenly, shooting one of the men in the thigh. Sabo looked at Luffy in a new light. Just what was he? That was so awesome! Apparently, Sabo wasn't the only one taken aback. The masked men broke out in small murmurs. Luffy remained uncharacteristically silent, his body language depicted one of a resigned and hopeless man. The younger boy's slumped shoulders shook lightly, and Sabo realized he was crying.

"Did you see that? The boy's a freak! Bullets won't hurt it!" One man announced, distracting the others, causing them to slow down. Sabo's own anger spiked at those cruel words. However, Sabo seized this opportunity to escape. He would comfort Luffy later. Unfortunately, one of the men had fast reflexes, instantly firing a shot at Sabo.

The world moved in slow motion. This time, the bullet did penetrate through skin and flesh. Blood splattered on the concrete sideway.

A blonde woman clutched her profusely bleeding side, inhaling deeply.

"Mother…" Luffy muttered, eyes wide.

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><p>Cassie: Anyone finds this chapter a little boring? Criticism would be nice. Thank you for your time.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Once again, thank you all for the lovely reviews, story alerts and favorites. Please enjoy.

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><p>February 2003<p>

It was barely dawn when she left the house. The magnificent sun had just risen over the horizon, casting brilliant streaks of golden sunlight onto the small town of Fuusha. She hadn't felt this conscious in ages. Lindsay could view the world with astonishing clarity, and it scared her. She didn't want to linger in reality. It took her sheer will and a tad more not to barge into the nearest bar, and drown herself with large amounts of alcohol.

Not today, she reminded herself. Today, she had a place she needed to visit. Turning around the corner, she spotted a small trail that led to her destination. The location lured her in like a moth to a flame.

The cemetery.

It was hauntingly beautiful. The cemetery was fairly modern, still untouched by the claws of time. Rows of identical white headstones were perfectly lined, and there was a small unfrozen pond towards the left of the cemetery. It was quiet, befitting of a place where people paid their respects to the dead.

Footsteps ended in front of a recently engraved stone, creating a filigree of white snow. Recent, compared to others.

Lindsay stood there silently, long blonde hair combed neatly, and attire clean. For once, she wanted to appear immaculate. Her hazel eyes were fixed on the newly carved name on the stone, body trembling slightly.

Damien Pierce.

_She coughed, trying futilely to clear the smoke out of her lungs. She couldn't think properly. The pain was slowly killing her, and she was almost welcoming the numbness that was seeping into her being. Tears started to leak from her closed eyes._

_She couldn't move. A huge shard of what used to be her ceiling dug into her side, and her limbs were crushed by rubble. She felt movement coming from inside the wreckage just as she heard someone sniffling. Lindsay was conscious enough to remember that her son was in the house with her. She had to find him. _

_She struggled to open her watery eyes. Fighting the relentless fatigue was hard and she was about to give up. The only motivation she had was that she had to reach her son and get him to safety, simple as that._

_It was very dark. Through the smoke, all Lindsay could make out was indistinguishable shapes and ardent embers. She was suddenly aware of the alluring flames licking her immobile legs. Ignoring the burning sensation, she scanned her surroundings. Debris, overturned furniture, and glass pieces were everywhere. She could see a faint figure of a tiny hand not too far away from her, crushed and limp under heavy metal. _

_There was another shift and moan as the hand twitched. _

_This time, she cleared her throat with the intention of vociferating. It was a bad decision as pain pierced through it. It was as though she had been deprived of water for days. Nevertheless, she forced herself to speak._

"_D-Damien? Darling, is that you?" She croaked out, trying to sound strong for her son. There was no response before further movement. She felt the foundation of the wreckage shake. There was a soft choking noise before a petrified, small voice echoed through the ruins._

"_M-Mommy, I'm here! It's h-hurts a lot… I-I'm 'fraid…" Damien's voice filtered through wreck. Thank god. _

"_D-Don't move, Damien, I'm c-coming to get you," Lindsay answered determinately, though her voice was still stuck in her burning throat. The unstable wreckage shook further as she tore her hands harshly from underneath the debris. Gritting her teeth, she tried to drag herself to where her son was. Her eyelids were drooping rapidly. The agonizing pain was overwhelming her senses._

_She stuck her hands between the metals, trying to lift its weight. Her efforts were not wasted as the metal finally conceded, allowing a small gap just big enough for her to squeeze through. Lindsay could see him now._

_Her crying son was in a terrible condition. His legs were stabbed by small shards of the shattered kitchen window and the explosion just now had severely damaged his right hand. Blood was pouring out of his gashes in streams as fire caressed his back. She briefly wondered whether she looked like that too, with crimson liquid staining her cheeks. His face lit up with undisguised hope as he saw her. She gathered up the energy to smile, a gesture to console her child. _

_Instinctively, she reached out for him. He was so close. Their fingertips were only inches away. Lindsay mustered up a final boost of energy to slide past the metal death trap. _

_She grasped his hand tightly as relief filled her chest. At least they were together. A sense of accomplishment came over her. The corners of her mouth twitched. Happiness momentarily filled her, and she tried in vain to contain her smile. Her precious son was safe for now. _

_A particularly loud noise attracted her attention as everything around them started quivering more forcefully than ever. Suddenly, a huge block of metal came crashing down in front of her. Lindsay's brown eyes widened in shock as it smashed into her son's skull. _

_A nanosecond later, pain shot through her chest as a sharp object penetrated her ribcage, attacking her internal organs. The pain was finally too much to bear as she slipped into unconsciousness. _

Things had gone downhill from there. Lindsay's eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she set white flowers in front of the grave. The fire that had resulted in her son's death sparked a chain of reactions. Her husband blamed her for Damien's death and eventually left her. Her own mother couldn't look her in the eye. After all, it was her fault. The fire had been caused due to her own carelessness.

At that point of time, she remembered considering suicide. There was no reason why she should continue living. She was a mess, lonely, and grieving. A vacation to Logue Town had been her last resort. Her older sister had once lived in a house there before she had moved to South Blue. It was the perfect place to go to for a short break.

And then, Lady Fate decided to intervene. Lindsay stumbled upon her salvation in Logue town. It came in the form of an unconscious boy, lying defenseless and buried under stacks of dirty cardboard. As she smeared off the dirt on the child's face, she was astounded to see her son's features, albeit thinner. She had carried him home, and taken care of him. It was convenient that the boy had amnesia.

For a minute there, she deluded herself into thinking the boy was her son.

The feeble illusion promptly crumbled when she discovered the child's freakish powers. She started to harbor strong animosity towards the boy. The child was a monster, and even he was allowed to exist. Why did her son have to die? He was innocent, normal and _pure_. The world just wasn't fair. And so, she drank, immersing herself in fallacies assembled by alcoholic manipulation. She took her frustration out on the nearest source, the boy with her son's face.

Lindsay took one last glance at the headstone, before heading towards the metal gate. Willing her tears back, she chose to go home. This was the one day in the entire year that she wouldn't be caught dead in a cramped, dingy bar, drinking away her sorrows. There was only one problem with returning. She didn't want to face him. The child that resembled her son.

For the past two years, she had abused him both physically and mentally. Lindsay would admit this, because today, she couldn't feed herself lies. Yet, the boy had never once attempted to escape from the hell she put him through. He was the only constant in her life.

The relationship they possessed was bizarre to say the least. On most days, Lindsay detested him, loathed his very existence. She broke his bones, painted his skin with purple bruises, and even cut him, depending on her mood. For most part, she felt satisfaction when she beat him, a sadistic pleasure. But, sometimes, there would be this clenching tug in the place where her heart should be. Did she even have a heart anymore?

Any other day she would believe that she was a kind soul. Yes, she abused a child, but this child was not human. It was a creature. Thus, what she was doing was not inhumane. But not today. Today she was unwillingly sober.

The boy was infatuated with her, Lindsay could tell. He patched her up without question when she came home injured and nursed her back to health when she was bed-ridden. Lindsay recalled all the times he stared at her with those pitiful eyes, begging for comfort and love, and she realized, if anyone under her roof was a monster, it wouldn't be him. Guilt welled up and refused to depart.

Lindsay was taking the long way home when she heard hurried footsteps approaching her. She focused her vision to find two boys racing in her direction, escaping from an armed group of black clad men. The younger one was a replica of her son, the boy that lived with her. She observed, stunned, as one of the bullets collided brutally with the boy's arm. Then, she was once again reminded of the boy's weird abilities, though she never thought they would be able to fend off bullets.

She stood there rigidly, as the surrounding men mocked the boy, chuckling in derision when the boy began to sob. Just yesterday, she would have joined them. The older, blond boy used the chance to get away, but one of the men, was not fooled. He fired without the slightest hint of hesitation. In that fleeting instant, her body moved without thinking.

Pain sliced through her side viciously, and she felt the familiar feel of blood pouring out of a wound. Lindsay was still standing, but her dizzy head was spinning out of control. Her breath hitched. She heard the boy call out her name softly.

"Mother…" She turned to meet his wide, panicking obsidian eyes. The moment was interrupted rudely when the men recovered from the shock of her appearance, since no one seemed to have noticed her arrival. A masked man with bronze hair immediately aimed at her with terrifying accuracy. It was a killing shot. Before he could fire, a taller man held up a gesture instructing him to pause. The man complied reluctantly.

"Move out of the way, woman, or we would be forced to shoot," the leader ordered in a tight voice, his stormy grey eyes tired and laced with fatigue. Eyes that were experienced but exhausted. Lindsay didn't get a degree in psychology for nothing. She could tell that he didn't agree with whatever this operation was. An outrageous idea came to her. She decided to take a gamble.

Suddenly, she lunged forward with renewed energy, smashing into the leader and tackling him to the concrete ground. She fell on top of him and the impact disarmed the heavily built man as the gun fell out of his grasp. With lightning fast reflexes, she reached for it, pressing the cool metal against the leader's forehead as soon as she got into kneeling position. All of this happened within seconds. The other men were taken aback, before surprise faded into escalating anger.

"What the hell are you doing, you bitch? Release him!" Similar demands were made from all the men. The leader was startlingly silent. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she pulled the leader up into standing position by his black leather jacket.

"I'm doing a good deed. Probably my last one," Lindsay quipped, staring the leader straight in his grey irises. She briefly wondered if this would redeem herself from all the sins she had committed. Maybe, just maybe, she would be accepted into heaven and reunited her son, instead of suffering in hell. It was an incredibly slim possibility though.

* * *

><p>Luffy was numb as he watched Mother knock the huge masked man to the floor. The actions played out before his eyes as if he was enjoying an epic movie on his television screen, with him remaining completely detached. Before he knew it, Mother had the man at gun point. She turned to face him, making intense eye contact.<p>

"Thank you for putting up with me for all these years, child," Mother started, and Luffy could hear nothing but sincerity in her tone. For once, both of them had been stripped of their mental barricades, leaving them horribly bare, vulnerable. "I-If the circumstances had been different, I-I think I would have loved to have you as a son," she continued, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

Luffy's coal black eyes prickled with warm tears at her words. He had trouble associating the scene with reality. However, the continuous throbbing of the muscles in his thighs assured him that he was.

"You deserve better. I'm sorry," Mother confessed, her hazel eyes softening, and for once, Luffy saw the genuine affection he had always been yearning for. "Run," she whispered, smiling. "Live the life my son didn't get to live."

Then, all hell broke loose.

Sabo pulled their intertwined fingers hastily, hauling him forward, reminding Luffy of his presence. Luffy tried to stand his ground. He was selfish. He didn't want to abandon Mother just when she began to accept him. But the older boy's strength was obviously superior as Luffy swayed to the front. Luffy had to stable himself by resuming a running pose.

As the firing of bullets recommenced, both of them were forced to leave the scene.

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><p>"Stop firing or the man's a goner," Lindsay stated coldly as her index finger rested on the trigger. All actions ceased as the men froze, glaring at her. The black suited men watched in fury as the two boys fled the scene, their knuckles blanching white. The leader glanced at her knowingly. As soon as the children disappeared from sight, the leader attacked her swiftly, apprehending her with a few moves.<p>

"You have my gratitude. I will give you a quick and painless death," he whispered softly into her ear. Lindsay almost laughed. Her deductions were right; the man could have escaped from the hostage situation whenever he wanted to. The leader simply didn't want to harm the children. Lindsay felt the gun aimed at the back of her skull, and she knew instantly that it was the end. The leader, no matter how kind, could not allow her to live. After all, he had to keep up with appearances. The other men cheered, before the leader told them to shut up, and focus on capturing the kids, even though it was too late.

Lindsay found herself praying for the safety of the nameless boy she had taken in two years ago. She hoped that, one day, the scars she had inflicted on him would heal and close. And that he would find it somewhere in his heart to forgive her.

What she didn't know was that he already did.

The blonde woman died with a smile on her lips.

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><p>Cassie: This chapter didn't turn out like I wanted it to. I didn't finish what I wanted to write. Feedback would be just wonderful. Thank you for your time.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: I want to thank all the people who have submitted reviews, added this story to their favorite stories or story alerts. Special thanks to NekoiKurona and Rell, who are the first people to have reviewed twice on this story.

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><p>February 2003<p>

Sabo had little idea on what was going on.

One second, the bullet was soaring towards him at high speed, and the other, a tall, blonde woman had leaped heroically in front of him and taken the devastating blow. Sabo's eyes dilated in slight horror, shock, and fear at the turn of events. Someone had gotten gravely injured because of him. Thick, oppressing, guilt came gushing in a moment later.

"Mother…" Luffy had whispered beside him, and Sabo froze. He scrutinized the blonde woman closely, and indeed he could recognize the younger boy in her. From the shape of his onyx eyes, to his soft, childlike features, Luffy was a miniature version of the wounded woman before him.

Everyone was stunned as the woman pounced ferociously on the dark haired man with cloudy, grey eyes, obtaining the upper hand when she promptly snatched away his weapon. Before anyone knew it, the brawny man had a gun pressed threateningly to his forehead.

When the thin woman turned to face them, or rather Luffy, with her blazing hazel irises, Sabo felt a strange pang of jealousy. He wondered if his parents would do the same, were they in the same position. Probably not, Sabo admitted to himself forlornly. He tried to picture his own mother in that situation, and failed miserably. Why would she waste her precious life for his insignificant one?

Sabo stared blatantly at Luffy's young mother. Her wild, golden hair, loose from her high ponytail, whipped in the harsh wind, cheeks flushed and eyes fierce. She was beautiful, more so than his own mother, who caked her face with thick layers of expensive cosmetics to retain her youth. At that particular point in time, Sabo wished he had a mother like Luffy's. Protective, caring, warm. Sabo had no idea how much Luffy had suffered under her cruelty, and he never would.

When he finally snapped out of his self induced daze, he heard her speak. Her cool and collected composure had collapsed, and Sabo had a strong urge to look away. The interaction had seemed extremely private, and Sabo felt like he was intruding on a very important moment.

"Run," the woman had said ever so softly. "Live the life my son didn't get to live." Sabo had no clue what she was referring to, but her words efficiently lifted him from his paralyzed state.

He felt his instinct kick in once more as sensation returned to his limbs. Thus, Sabo took her advice. Spinning around abruptly, he began to sprint up the street, with Luffy in tow. He didn't pause when he felt Luffy's persistent reluctance. Hesitation might very well be their downfall later. They couldn't miss the golden opportunity presented to them now. Sabo had to be the stronger, more responsible one, and get them out of here.

As they trudged up the street, the noise of gunfire discontinued.

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><p>Luffy's knees were about to buckle. He could feel the little energy he had drain out with each passing second. Food was a luxury he had been deprived from for two entire days, and his short legs were still recovering from the numerous wounds Mother had inflicted on him the day before.<p>

In front of him, Sabo appeared to have no problem with running continuously for fifteen minutes straight. The older boy barely looked winded. Luffy stared at him in slight awe, wondering what kind of inhuman stamina the blond possessed. It was hardly a fair comparison, seeing that Sabo had been properly fed and healthy.

As Sabo ran at a steady pace, he noticed that the younger boy he had been dragging along had become increasingly slow. Luffy's movements were also becoming sluggish. He turned to look at Luffy, and was immediately concerned about what he saw. The seven year old boy's face had turned ashen white, and his frail body had begun to quiver considerably. Sabo could sense Luffy's growing debility, and mentally debated whether they could afford to rest.

Before Sabo could reach a decision, Luffy's legs gave out suddenly. The black haired boy's left ankle landed in an extremely awkward fashion on the cold pavement, as Luffy cried out in agony. Sabo paused, rushing forward to support him. He surveyed the damage. Luffy had twisted his ankle.

"Are you alright?" Sabo questioned anxiously, his eyebrows pulled together in worry. Sabo watched as Luffy gritted his teeth, before an expression of pain flickered across his features. Just as soon as it appeared, the brief display of emotion was gone. Luffy nodded weakly, struggling to stand on his own. Sabo frowned at the attempt. The younger boy was obviously not okay.

Sabo caught Luffy gently when he failed, and slowly lowered him onto the snow covered pavement. The blond boy scanned his surroundings, trying to deduce whether they were safe for now. Dark, ominous clouds dominated the grey skies, the sun now nowhere in sight. The concrete roads were currently deserted. Everything seemed quieter, muffled. They were far from the bustling city. The snow here was still clean and pure, due to the lack of people in the area. Towards civilization, the snow had already been tainted, and all that was left was the grey, dirty slush.

Behind them was a trail of footprints imprinted on the melting snow. Every step they had taken had left a fresh, crisp mark. Sabo paled at his mistake. Oh no. The noises created by their hunters reached him before he could even see them.

"Luffy, get on!" Sabo exclaimed, panicking. He crouched down in front of the smaller boy, and ushered him on. Luffy acquiesced and climbed onto his back obediently, frightened by the sudden change in Sabo's mood. He quickly understood why when a familiar group of men appeared in their line of sight.

"Look! There they are!" One man bellowed, drawing attention to the escaping duo. Soon after, the boys were dodging bullets. Sabo was running as fast as his legs could carry him, clutching onto Luffy tightly. He darted down the street, searching frantically for a place to hide. It was a pointless attempt. This particular road led to one place only. The cemetery that was located on the outskirts of town. Any further, and they would cross the border of Fuusha.

Just then, something zoomed past them, stirring up a strong gust of wind and snow. A vehicle. Sabo's eyes lit up.

"Hey! Stop! Help us!" Sabo shouted, running after the lorry. However, the driver did not hear him. Sabo panted vigorously, feeling dizzy. Sprinting was really starting to take a toll on his exhausted body. He stared hopelessly at the back of the Lorry, noticing that the chains that once held the doors together had been broken. Inspiration struck him.

"Luffy? You see the open doors at the back of that Lorry?" Sabo inquired, tilting his head slightly to look at the smaller boy. Luffy appeared worse than before. His dry lips were blue and his breathing was erratic. The trembling boy nodded lethargically, struggling to keep his drooping eyelids open.

"Good. Do you think you could… reach it?" Sabo phrased his words carefully, not wanting to offend the boy. Luffy seemed to comprehend his implications. The smaller boy stiffened, and Sabo was quick to reassure him. "Your powers are really cool! There's no harm in trying right?" The scrawny boy didn't respond. Instead, Luffy raised his arm shakily and hurled it over their heads.

Sabo watched, thoroughly fascinated, as Luffy's arm stretched further and further, latching firmly to one of the metal doors. He inwardly cheered.

"Shit! The runts are getting away!" The men yelled from behind them, muttering profanities under their breaths. Sabo felt an overwhelming sense of victory. He couldn't suppress a large grin from surfacing on his face. Sabo was fully prepared when they were jerked forward, and flung towards the Lorry by the strong force of the recoil. He chuckled loudly, resisting the urge to turn back and mock the group of fully grown men who couldn't even capture two runts.

Then, Murphy's Law came into action.

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><p>Luffy was on the brink of consciousness. His head was pounding non-stop against his skull. Patches of bright light dotted his vision, and he could hear incessant ringing in his head. The boy was drifting in and out of reality. The last thing he could clearly recall doing was using his strange abilities to latch onto the door. Then, he was swiftly yanked into midair. He felt the acrid taste of bile at the back of his throat, as his eyesight returned shortly with amazing clarity.<p>

It was just in time for Luffy to see the approaching bullet pierce through Sabo's arm. The overhead sky rumbled. Loud thunder shook the earth.

"S-Sabo!" Luffy screeched in horror as the older boy's grip on him slackened, before Sabo released his hold completely. Sabo let out a shocked scream as his skull made contact with the hard concrete road, resulting in a sickening thud. The force of impact knocked the blond boy unconscious, a mesmerizing red pooling around his head. Blood. "Sabo!" Luffy cried again, as he finally reached the door, landing inside the Lorry unsteadily. The distance between them increased dramatically as the vehicle continued to travel.

Sabo remained silent. Luffy rose to jump and rescue Sabo but as he stood, a large wave of dizziness assaulted him mercilessly, forcing him to the ground. The last thing he saw was the kidnappers reaching Sabo, and the bullet that was quickly put through the blond boy's head. The lifeless body was then thrown cruelly onto the ground like a discarded rag doll.

"N-No! Sabo!" Luffy vociferated pathetically, as darkness enveloped him. Jagged lasers of silver light lit up the skies as the heavy rain created a blinding liquid fog. The heavens cried.

And this was only just the beginning.

* * *

><p>There it was. As the Lorry advanced towards the towering mansion, the middle aged man behind the wheel felt progressively inferior. Tall iron gates with ornate leaf designs loomed before him, the grand entrance to a beautiful and lavish garden. The whole place seemed like paradise on Earth. The lush grass smelt freshly cut. Raindrops clung to every blade of glass, glistening like little encrusted jewels under the reemerging sun. There was a fountain of an ethereal mermaid gurgling merrily in the centre, welcoming visitors. Rose bushes decorated the front porch, while Ivy crawled up white pillars. It was evident that here in the Grandline, snowing had ended quite a while back.<p>

The greasy haired man groaned uneasily at the display of opulence. Reluctantly, he got out of the Lorry, striding forward to ring the bell. He leaned forward to voice into a speaker.

"Furniture delivery," the chubby man stated uncomfortably. A moment later, a female voice replied.

"Master would be at the gate shortly." The woman informed him professionally. In the background, a man's voice could be heard. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me that!" The voice said exasperatedly. Then, the speaker went silent.

The driver waited outside, glancing at the sky idly. At least the heavy torrent had stopped. The weather nowadays was so unpredictable. The forecast said it should have been sunny the whole day. The man turned his attention back to the mansion. He wondered why the rich man needed furniture so often. The driver was sent down here almost every month to deliver new ones. It was such a drag to drive down to Grandline from East Blue. The journey was so long that he had to stop by Fuusha to rest.

There were rumors, of course. Some said that the adopted son of the well-off man was a pyromaniac, and that the boy burned down furniture just for fun. The man shook his head at the absurdity of the speculations. Even rich men couldn't be that crazy.

Speaking of the devil, the intricately carved wooden door at the front porch opened, and a boy, around ten, walked outside. The black haired boy with freckles scaled the steps, walking down a long stone path, surrounded by swaying willow trees and marble white statues. Behind him, a man in his late twenties followed, both of them passing by a tiny lake.

The boy, clad in a red sleeveless shirt and plain shorts, reached the gate first, and the huge gate was pushed open by large invisible hands. The man nodded hello to the boy as the boy grinned back cheekily. He didn't stop the boy from heading to the back of the Lorry, seeing as the boy always helped him to unload the furniture. The boy had remarkable strength for his age.

"Did you realize that the chains have been broken?" The boy questioned, pointing to the door handles. The man shook his head.

"I apologize. Any misplaced furniture would be delivered as soon as possible," the driver said nervously. Someone patted him on the shoulder and laughed.

"It's alright. Forget it, it's just an accident." The driver turned to look at the rich man, who didn't look like one at all. When you picture a man who is filthy rich, you imagine a man with hair combed back neatly like a polished gentleman. A man who is dressed immaculately with sharp and defined eyes. This man was none. The man behind him wore casual clothing, a loose white shirt that was buttoned halfway and brown trousers cut a little below the knees. Perhaps the man's most striking features were his red hair and the three scars across his left eye.

"Hey, there's a boy in here, Shanks!"

* * *

><p>Cassie: I think you all know what Murphy's Law is. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Don't worry. There will be no more deaths in a long, long time. Criticism would be greatly appreciated.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Maybe I didn't make it clear enough, but the boy who found Luffy in the truck was Ace. Thank you all for the reviews, story alerts and favorites last chapter! Please enjoy.

* * *

><p>February 2003<p>

_He was in an enclosed room. _

_Plain, white walls stared back at him blankly as he sat motionlessly in the centre of the empty room, blinking in confusion. What was he doing here? A quick glance around the vacant space told him that there was no exit. There was no way out._

_Suddenly, blurry, juxtaposed photographs of faces and places bloomed across the bare walls, and the boy's onyx eyes widened in shock. More and more pictures emerged, even on the ceiling, and soon, the room was plastered entirely with images. Then, without warning, came the onslaught of voices. _

"_Come on, Luffy! Let me carry you!" Someone whined. _

"_I don't care if he doesn't remember me, Roger! He has to be safe!" _

"_Your son is so adorable!" A feminine voice cooed._

"_Oh god, Uncle Dragon's going to kill me," a person muttered, before raising his voice, "If you come down from that tree, Luffy, I'll give you lots of food!"_

"_Son, don't touch that!" A voice exclaimed._

_The familiar voices were tangible, and the astonished boy could literally see the words drifting around in midair. All of them glowed, some shining brighter than the others. The boy gasped, shielding his ears with his trembling hands when some of them got too loud. Invisible threads strung the voices to the pictures splayed on the walls, a wave nostalgia washing over him. Instinctively, he began to trace the fragile lines that joined the sounds and photographs together, ignoring the irritable nagging at the back of his head. The names of some in the pictures were on the tip of his tongue… _

"_**Stop." **__A loud voice commanded as the boy recoiled in alarm. The pictures burst spontaneously into ardent flames as the boy cowered fearfully, trying to avoid the intense heat of the raging inferno. The alluring fire consumed all, leaving behind grey ashes and black burn marks on the walls. In an instant, the strings were all severed, the voices vanishing abruptly. _

_No. No. "No!" The boy shouted, panicking. He wanted to remember! _

"_**Forget everything. Forget everything, and you'll be safe." **__The floor crumbled beneath him as he let out a terrified scream. He was falling into a fathomless abyss…_

* * *

><p>"No!" Luffy woke up bundled in warm, silk blankets, sweating and panting profusely. The surreal dream left him spiritually drained, even though he had been sleeping for hours. He rubbed his eyes drowsily, feeling the familiar damp sensation of perspiration at the nape of his neck, before he realized something very, very wrong.<p>

He wasn't at home. Luffy sat up, startled, in the all too comfortable bed, scanning his location. Instead of the crammed, dark space that was his room, the luxurious room he was in was at least three times as big, with tastefully framed portraits hanging on the walls, their beauty accentuated by the lightning from the sparkling chandelier. There was a large window to his left, rewarding him with a tiny glimpse of the grandiose mansion. He was surprised by the lack of snow. Though winter was rapidly receding in Fuusha, snow was still visible in most areas.

Where was he?

Luffy climbed out of the queen sized bed, pausing when he passed an elegantly carved mahogany table. On top of the table was a newspaper. The paper was published on the 17th of February 2003. As his eyes lowered to the huge, bolded headline, he froze. For a while, he was lost. But as the recent events replayed before his eyes, he wished so very desperately that he could forget. Injurious reality slammed into him with tremendous force, stealing away his breath. No…

**Tragedy Strikes Fuusha. **Below were two colored photographs. One, of a stunning blonde woman in her twenties, and the other, of a smiling ten year old boy with short hair and a missing tooth.

Luffy felt all his strength escape him in an instant. He collapsed to his knees on the soft carpeted floor, seeing absolutely nothing at all. Luffy recognized this empty feeling. He realized, for the second time, the world had ruthlessly robbed him of everything he knew.

And just what had he done to deserve such inequality in treatment? Had he been bad? Or did his very existence offend some form of higher being with the ability to make his life miserable? Luffy had tried so very hard to be good. He had wordlessly taken the punishment dealt out by Mother and assisted her in any way he could, hoping that one day, that would be enough. Apparently not. Salvation seemed to be far beyond his reach. Repent as he will, he would forever remain vile and unworthy.

Warm tears burned in his eyes, and soon, he was reduced to painful, uncontrollable sobs. Luffy choked, drowning in despair, not bothering to wipe away the salty wetness on his cheeks. Mother had been right, he was a freak, and his utter uselessness had denied him any right to be happy like the rest of the world. Perhaps it was a sin for him to be even remotely content. Luffy had slowly begun to accept that.

But Mother and Sabo had been innocent. They were normal and pure. Had the action of merely associating with him tainted them so badly that they needed to be sentenced to death? If so, it was his fault then. Everything had been his fault.

Luffy curled into a fetal position, eyes emotionless and dead. His tears had long since dried. There was just nothing left in him to give. He sat there, eyes wide but shuttered, for the longest time.

He was lost.

That was exactly how the servants found him several hours later.

* * *

><p>There had been a big commotion when the maids found Luffy on the floor, completely unresponsive. The malnourished boy had barely processed anything as the maids fussed over him, washed him and dressed him in new, clean clothes. Even when Luffy was finally led into the dining hall, he was still in a trance-like state.<p>

The dining hall consisted of a long table, and priceless antiques on display. A handful of servants were already beginning to serve food. Plates after plates of scrumptious, mouthwatering food were placed on the table, and Luffy's stomach began making rather ludicrous demands. He wanted to hit himself. What right did he have to be here drinking, eating and breathing, when Mother and Sabo were dead?

There was a flash of red as someone tried to catch his attention. Luffy craned his head up to see a red headed man with three scars across his left eye. It took him a moment to comprehend that this was the owner of the house, the man he was currently being presented to. The man was seated at the table.

"What's your name, kid?" The red haired man asked, grinning. The man's eyes were warm, his tone friendly, but Luffy couldn't bring himself to do anything but stare. The people here were nice; he needed to get out of here soon, lest he contaminate them too. His curse had proven to be very potent. The wide grin on the owner's face did not diminish even when he did not reply.

"Hey, he was talking to you!" A slightly annoyed voice drew his attention to a boy he did not notice. The boy was seated beside the owner. He appeared around ten, Sabo's age. Luffy's chest clenched painfully. He tried to find some comfort in the differences that demarcated the two boys. This boy had black hair and obsidian eyes, traits that Luffy himself possessed. The older boy also sported childish freckles. It was after his inspection that he realized the boy was addressing him. Luffy opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, but he was unfortunately interrupted.

"Don't be too hard on the kid, Ace," the man stated after laughing. The red haired man turned back to him, and said, "Name's Shanks. The kid here is Ace." The man gestured to the boy beside him.

"Not a kid," Ace said grumpily, before turning his eyes back to him. Luffy squirmed under their gazes, before finally deciding to reply out of courtesy. He cleared his voice and immediately regretted it as pain shot through his parched throat. It took a while for him to recover.

"I-I'm Lu-" Luffy stopped, and thought of all the grief his identity had caused recently. His name was a taboo, a jinx, just like everything else about him. "Damien," the boy said softly, "Damien Pierce."

From now on, he would only be known as that.

* * *

><p>Dinner was a quiet affair. Luffy fidgeted nervously in his seat, feeling very much out of place. He sat on the vacant side of the Shanks, across Ace, who was devouring his food fervently with much vigor. The emaciated boy observed in morbid fascination as Ace ate to his heart's content. He feared for the older boy, what if the owner got mad? Luffy stole a brief glance at Shanks, who was also inhaling his dinner at an alarming rate, not paying the slightest attention to the older boy.<p>

Luffy felt squeamish, picking at the contents on his own plate. Was this a trick? His stomach lurched painfully as strong digestive juices grinded against the inner walls of the organ. The wafting aroma only amplified his torture. But Luffy had already consumed two spoonfuls of rice; he couldn't afford to eat more. He glared half heartedly at his tempting food, trying to will it away with sheer mind power.

"Oh dear! You have to eat more than that! You're skin and bones, boy!" The maid who came to clear Ace's plate chastised in a motherly tone as she saw his barely touched food. Luffy winced. He recognized this young woman. She was one of the maids who cleaned him up earlier. The boy couldn't understand why she was angry. At his silence, he saw the green haired woman exchange a look with Shanks. Luffy cringed, shoulders slouching. Was he going to get punished?

"You're not leaving this table until you finish the food on your plate!" The pretty, young maid said, hands on her hips. Luffy looked down at his dinner in horror. No, he couldn't. On cue, his mutinous stomach rumbled loudly. "See, you're clearly hungry," the woman in her early twenties stated worriedly, reaching for his plate. "Come on, I'll feed you." She sat down next to him. Scooping an appropriate amount of rice, she held the spoon out at the entrance of his mouth.

"What a baby," Ace said, rather disbelievingly. The woman shot him a warning glance. Luffy gulped at her fierce look. He did not want to incur her anger. He ate the spoonful of food, despite his entire being protesting against the action. The beautiful woman smiled, her obsidian eyes softening. Blood rushed to Luffy's cheeks, and his disgust at eating diminished just a little. And so, he swallowed mouthful after mouthful, attempting to contain his revulsion.

Soon, all there was left was an empty plate. When Luffy realized the quantity of food he ate, his face paled. His stomach sank and he began quivering. A warm putrid feeling rose up his throat, leaving a burning and tingling sensation. Just as Luffy felt the bitter acrid taste of bile in his mouth, he expelled his stomach contents on the marble floor. Tears gathered in his eyes, as his vision blurred, an old memory resurfacing before his eyes.

_His stomach hurt. Damien stood outside Mother's room pathetically, debating whether he should go in. Mother was out late yesterday night, so he had skipped dinner. It was two in the afternoon now, and Mother still had not emerged from her room. Damien felt his stomach contract painfully, demanding food with its sporadic rumbling. _

_He reached for the doorknob tentatively. Damien was scared. Ever since they had discovered his freakish abilities, Mother had become increasingly cold. Just a few days back, he had received a beating for not doing the chores. Damien was still berating himself over that. Of course he had to do the chores, did he think he could stay here for free? He was such an insolent brat. That was the least he could do to aid Mother. _

_Damien stared at the door with convulsive trepidation, before hunger finally won. He entered the room, finding Mother still asleep on her bed, back facing him. He advanced furtively to her bedside, hesitating before shaking her gently on her shoulder. She shifted in her blankets, turning over to his side. As he shook harder, Mother's eyes snapped open suddenly, and Damien backed away, alarmed. _

"_What do you want?" Mother glared, her hazel eyes narrowing in barely restrained annoyance. Damien looked down at the wooden floorboards, embarrassed. _

"_C-Can we have breakfast soon?" Damien requested, head bowed. A slender finger promptly tilted his chin up forcefully. He was made to face Mother's fuming expression. She had moved into a sitting position on her mattress._

"_Look at me when you talk! Such disrespect. Why should I feed you?" Mother vituperated. Damien felt small under her piercing glaze. She was right. Who was he to demand food? He heard Mother inhale deeply several times, before she spoke again. "That was rather harsh me," Mother started, pulling him into a small hug. She patted his back consolingly in a rhythmical fashion, eyes gleaming nefariously. "I'm sure you're hungry, let's go grocery shopping." Mother suggested, ushering him out to change. As he left the room, Damien shuddered involuntarily._

_An hour passed, and they were at the nearby grocery store. Damien watched happily as Mother bought a small mountain of food. As the cashier packed the groceries into white plastic bags, Damien immediately offered to carry some of them. Mother handed him a few and they proceeded to walk home. _

"_Damien," Mother said, "look at that poor dog." Damien followed her gaze to an injured puppy hiding behind a tire of a huge truck. The small dog seemed to notice his gaze. It stared back at Damien pitifully with its big, adorable eyes. Mother tugged on their entwined fingers and Luffy looked up questioningly. "Why don't you bring it home?" Damien was surprised, turning his attention back to the tiny puppy. 'Take me home', it seemed to beg. Damien melted under the power of the puppy dog eyes and caved in. _

_He approached the frail puppy, and picked it up carefully. The tiny dog did not struggle. As they continued home, Damien stroked its dirty fur coat, fascinated as the puppy yelped softly in approval. He liked the small creature, Damien decided. Reaching home, he played with the puppy for hours. _

_When dinner was finally served, Damien was amazed. The table was overflowing with delicious food. He heard his stomach purr in satisfaction. He sat down at the wooden table hastily. Damien looked at Mother, who motioned for him to start eating. Without further ado, he dug in. Dinner disappeared from his plate quickly, and Damien helped himself to a second serving. When he was finally full, he set down his utensils and glanced up. Mother had still not touched her food. She stared at him, smiling. The sadistic smile sent chills down his spine._

"_Go on, eat more." She prompted, pushing him another plate of food. Even though he had ate a lot, there were still enough food for several people on the table. Damien politely declined. Mother's smile faltered and became strained. "This is all for you. You're a greedy, bottomless pit after all." She continued sweetly. Damien flinched at her words. Was he? _

"_Because of you, I won't get to eat. But that's okay, because I love you," Mother said, "You can have all the food you want. I'll starve to death." She pushed the food to him. Damien felt tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. _

"_No, you can have it Mother!" He whimpered. Mother shook her head. _

"_I can't. After all, a fat, pudgy glutton like you can't possibly survive on such a small portion. Eat, I wouldn't dare to let you go hungry," Mother said. She stood up abruptly, heading out of the kitchen. Damien sniffed; regret smacking him in the face. _

_Mother returned with the puppy in toll. She set it down on the table roughly, and the small dog whined in pain. She turned to the kitchen cabinets, searching for something. Mother took out a glinting object that was shaped like a cylinder. When she faced the table, she grinned gleefully. Damien realized the object was actually a beer bottle. It wasn't completely empty, golden liquid swished around at the bottom. _

"_There's no point in letting the poor thing starve too. Might as well put it out of its misery now," Mother declared psychotically. Without the slightest hesitation, she smashed the glass bottle brutally into the puppy's head, before Damien could even react. A shrill cry echoed in the silent kitchen as shattered pieces of glass flew everywhere. Mother's own hands were scratched by the sharp shards. Blood spattered on the table cloth, on Mother's hands, on his face. The bloody dog fell limp on the table, twitching, as crimson liquid gushed out from its skull. _

_Damien burst into tears. _

_That was the last time he ever asked for food._

* * *

><p>Cassie: Yes, the story's going kind of slow now. Don't worry, the action will come eventually. Constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Special thanks to dreamwritergoddess who has been consistently reviewing. Thank you all for the reviews, story alerts and favorites last chapter! Please enjoy.

* * *

><p>February 2003<p>

There was something about the kid that deeply perturbed him.

From the moment Ace discovered the emaciated boy lying unconscious in the back of the delivery truck, he had found the boy oddly familiar. From the shape of the kid's onyx eyes to the arch of the kid's nose, Ace couldn't help but feel that the boy was someone he ought to remember.

Ace could recall the shock he felt when he saw the boy's face. Nostalgia had hit him like a ton of bricks. The sheer force of it almost made him stumble.

The feeling he felt around the kid was warm, comfortable, somewhat akin to fondness or affection for a younger brother. Ace didn't like it. He should be suspicious of the kid. After all, Shanks's immense fortune lured many desperate men. They always had a reason to be on alert. Ace detested the fact that he couldn't bring himself to be wary of the boy.

By the time dinner arrived, he had become largely annoyed. He still couldn't figure out who the boy was. The overwhelming frustration made him tremendously edgy, and Ace really couldn't bring himself to care about how badly he had treated the brat.

And perhaps the worst thing was that the boy's name didn't seem to ring a bell. 'Damien'. It seemed so very off, wrong even. Ace had cringed slightly at the mere mention of it, his mouth resisting the urge to open itself and correct the boy. With that, he was almost completely certain that he had known this 'Damien' at some point in his life.

Ace had nearly gone into cardiac arrest when the kid suddenly lapsed into a severe panic attack. He felt a pang of worry and fear smack him as soon as he saw Damien convulsing violently on the floor, puking his guts out. Evidently, the kid had been someone terribly important to him. It was then that the concern elevated to boiling anger. He felt utterly helpless. There was nothing he could do, and Ace abhorred that. Being useless, that is.

Thank god Shanks had been there. It took his legal guardian half a second to subdue the boy by knocking him out. The maids were still slightly stunned at that point and Makino had looked very guilty for forcing the kid to eat, before Shanks reassured her that Damien was going to be fine.

It was safe to conclude that none of the occupants in the dining hall had been convinced.

* * *

><p>"What is the meaning of this?" The wealthy man demanded, fuming. He slammed his hands on the boss's table, pointing to the bolded newspaper headline. "Where is he? Where is my son?"<p>

The boss sat calmly behind his desk, seemingly impassive. However, a small scowl rested on his thin lips, betraying his sullen mood. He emitted a dark aura that shifted the surrounding atmosphere, and the other man shivered at the imposing weight that suddenly settled inside the spacious office. The eerie décor of the room's interior only contributed to the man's burgeoning paranoia. The boss's sharp eyes narrowed in obvious disdain.

"Your son is dead," the boss began nonchalantly, glaring at the black haired man menacingly. "His body has been disposed of." A ghastly whiteness spread over the other man's face before unbridled hatred consumed him whole.

"Impossible! Don't you dare lie to me!" The opulent man shouted agitatedly. He stared at the boss furiously, his anger overshadowing his obvious fear of the man. "His body was never found!" The enraged man declared.

"I have no reason to lie, dog." The boss spat out, disgusted, "Your son had the audacity to interrupt the mission. What made you think that he would go unpunished?" At this, the boss smirked sadistically. "In any case, you should worry more about yourself." With that said, the boss waved his hand offhandedly. The middle aged man froze, his onyx eyes widening in absolute shock and horror.

The man knew immediately what was going to happen to him. Once, he had laughed at the fools who had the audacity to defy the coldblooded man. He never thought he would ever be at the receiving end of the boss's wrath. His fury dissipated as terror held him in a vice-like grip. Two men came from behind him just as the boss gave the signal. In less than a second, he was restrained by them. The uniformed men locked his arms, restricting his movements. He struggled futilely against their strong holds as the boss chuckled derisively.

"Release me! Why are you doing this?" The man questioned desperately. The boss's laughter died down. The boss stood up abruptly and walked around his desk, stopping before the terrified man. A chill went down the man's spine, as an uncomfortable premonition of fear pervaded his senses.

"Why? Why?" The boss raised his voice. "I've been searching for that brat for two years! Your nosy son just had to ruin my efforts!" The predatory gleam in the boss eyes turned the man's stomach to ice. "Don't expect to leave this room alive," the boss stated, pulling out a gun. The man could feel his chest constricting painfully, his accelerating heartbeat becoming equivalent to the thrumming wings of a hummingbird.

The boss delivered a hard punch to the man's stomach, forcing the man to gasp in agony. The man stilled when he felt the metallic taste of the gun on his tongue. Oh god, no. The boss grinned, an insane smile that stretched from ear to ear, splitting the crazed man's face into half. The boss crouched down to the man's level and leaned towards the man. The man could feel the boss's warm breath right above his ear.

"Any last words?" The man remained silent, staring directly into the boss's eyes.

In the end, all the man could do was gulp.

Boom.

* * *

><p>Being unconscious it seemed, was starting to become a regular pastime of Luffy's.<p>

"Shanks! He's coming to!" The young boy heard a slightly shrill female voice exclaim as he shifted in his warm, comfortable blankets. Harsh light penetrated through his closed eyelids, causing the boy to stir.

'Go away!' Luffy demanded lethargically. At that moment, light was his most hated foe. The boy swung one arm over his face to shield himself from the offending light. He heard the door creak open. What time was it? There was a brief shuffling of curtains before the intensity of the light in the room increased tenfold. Luffy groaned, flipping himself onto his stomach and burying his face into his pillow. There much better. The light-

Luffy shot up in his bed, horror consuming his features. Was it dawn already? But the chores! The small boy whimpered. He didn't want to get punished! Why didn't the alarm go off? Was there still time to finish the chores before Mother woke up? Luffy hyperventilated, panicking.

"Are you feeling better?" A deep voice pierced through his inner turmoil. Luffy blinked, his obsidian eyes darting to the source of the sound. A red haired man wearing a straw hat stood in front of a large window, his expression juxtaposed to one of worry and amusement. Oh.

Realization dawned on him.

Mother was dead. He felt his eyes burn with unshed tears.

"Hey, are you alright?" A rough hand settled on his shoulder. The small boy flinched at the physical contact, but calmed down when he realized the man had no ill intentions. Luffy tilted his head to stare at the man with three scars across his left eye. _No_, the boy wanted to say. _I don't think I ever will be._

But instead, Luffy nodded feebly. The red haired man grinned disbelievingly, and settled on the side of the queen sized bed. The boy inched away discreetly, not wanting to upset the man but not entirely comfortable in the presence of an adult. Who knows when Luffy would do something that the man would deem unacceptable?

Unfortunately, despite his subtlety, Luffy was certain that the man had noticed. The man was about to say something when the sound of knocking diverted their attention. Luffy turned to see a nervous green haired woman by the door.

"Shall I bring him some food, Shanks?" She enquired cautiously. Luffy recognized her. This was the maid who tried to force him to eat. Just thinking about it, made his weak stomach churn painfully. He attempted to contain his nausea.

"Get him something light," Shanks replied, smiling. The young woman acquiesced, and disappeared from the room. Shanks moved to face him.

"I know you probably don't feel like eating, kid, but you have to at least try," Shanks stated, ruffling Luffy's ebony locks affectionately. This time, he managed to stop himself from recoiling. The young boy didn't have the heart to tell the man that he couldn't, not even if he tried. His eating habits have been embedded far too deeply into him for him to just simply disregard them. His lack of consumption was an integral part of surviving in the past two years. It wasn't a choice. It was a rule of life.

Luffy pretended not to hear the man. Instead he choked out, "How long have I been out, sir?"

"Two days, and just call me Shanks," the man said, before abruptly switching the topic. "Damien, is it? I have some questions for you to answer. Are you up for it, or do I need to wait for another day?" The red haired man offered kindly. Questions. Luffy stiffened. Mother had drilled him for this sort of interrogations.

"Today's fine," Luffy confirmed softly after some contemplation.

"If you're sure," the man said. "How old are you currently?" Shanks inquired, pulling out a silver ballpoint pen and a piece of paper.

"I turned six on the 17th of January." _Seven. Or rather, I'll be turning seven on the 5__th__ of May._ The man in his late twenties replicated the information on his paper.

"Who are your parents?"

"M-My mother's name is Lindsay Stanley. My father is Lucas Pierce," Luffy faltered. _I have no idea who my biological mother is. My biological father's name is Monkey D. Dragon. _But Mother is the only parent Luffy would ever acknowledge.

"Where do you live?"

"Fuusha, East Blue," Luffy answered as Shank raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I don't know how I got here."

"You arrived here in the back of a furniture delivery truck. Mind telling me what you were doing in there?" Shanks asked, seemingly amused.

Luffy froze, his mind drifting back to the moment where Sabo's grip on him had slackened and-

Click! Luffy clawed at his chest, breathing erratic. His vision refocused on the fingers dangling in front of his hooded eyes, poised in snapping position. As he craned his head to see Shanks, he was suffocated by the evident pity found in the man's eyes. Gritting his teeth, the boy whispered.

"I don't remember." _I was lying there pathetically as I watched the person who saved my worthless life get killed. It was my fault. I should have died that day. _The man's glaze softened.

"The doctor said you're malnourished. You arrived here with a sprained ankle and numerous wounds and scars all over your body," Shanks listed in a serious tone. "Those are all signs of abuse." Luffy winced. It wasn't abuse, he protested. He had needed to be taught a lesson. "I want you to know that you have an option. You don't have to go back. You can stay here for as long as you want," Shanks proposed.

Luffy swallowed a lump in his throat. The man was so nice. Never once had the man laid a hand on him in an aggressive manner, or even raised his voice with menace. To be able to stay here with him… That would be a dream.

And that was precisely why he couldn't.

"No, I want to go home."

Because dreams... Dreams don't come true.

* * *

><p>March 2003<p>

Damien was a pain in the neck.

In less than a week after he regained consciousness, the brat had tried to escape from the mansion four times. Three of which, the boy had been dragged back spotting fresh cuts and scratches from his abysmal plan to climb over the gigantic gate. Ace couldn't even begin to fathom what had been going on inside the brat's clearly underdeveloped mind when he came up with that idea.

At least the boy wasn't completely hopeless. The last attempt, thankfully, had shown some form of planning beforehand. Damien had tried to sneak out at night after stealing Makino's keys. The boy might have actually succeeded, if it wasn't for two factors. One, Shanks. Two, the boy's ability to forget that he had a sprained ankle, and thus, was unable to sprint three hundred metres without falling down again and worsening his condition.

Ace felt his left eye twitch erratically. He just couldn't understand. Why was the brat trying so hard to leave? It wasn't as if they were going to cook him alive or anything along those lines. Did anyone in the mansion look like the wicked witch in Hansel and Gretel?

Fortunately, Damien seemed to have ceased his efforts after that fourth try. For the rest of the week, the boy moped around the mansion, adamantly rejecting any form of interaction. During that period of time, the boy spent most of his hours holed up in the guest room, only emerging from isolation when the maids forced him to come down for food. He had heard from Shanks that the boy's appetite was barely improving, though that didn't stop Makino from attempting to put some meat on the boy's bones.

It got better the second week. The younger boy no longer acted as if he was under quarantine. Nowadays, the boy was seen wandering about like a somnambulant, or rather limping, considering his sprained ankle. It seemed like Damien had finally resigned himself to the fact that he was staying here for quite some time.

Ace was relieved. He didn't want the boy to return to wherever he had been. If the various scars were any indication, Damien had come from a less than favorable place. The younger boy was obviously traumatized. Ace couldn't stand it. He felt uncomfortable watching Damien act like he did. It didn't fit with the image Ace subconsciously had of the boy.

Damien, if that was really the boy's name, should be happy, cheerful. The way he was behaving now was just… Wrong.

Yes, it was safe to say that Ace had developed a slight obsession with Damien. Of course, Ace couldn't help it. Damien was a mystery that he just had to unravel.

It wasn't long till the older boy realized that Damien returned same curiosity regarding him. Occasionally, Ace would notice the boy's intent gaze on him. Ace eventually came to the conclusion that Damien had been watching him as well.

To be honest, Ace wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was unnerving, yes, but the action stroked his ego. Of all people in the mansion, it was Ace that piqued the social recluse's interest. Somehow the fascination the boy possessed towards him didn't seem that awkward. It felt like the sort of adoration one had for an older sibling.

Once again, Ace was surprised to find out that he had no qualms about that.

* * *

><p>Cassie: I swear, bear with me a few more chapters and the action will arrive! Constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: Once again, I thank everyone for their kind reviews, story alerts and favorites! Please enjoy.

* * *

><p>March 2003<p>

Luffy was waiting.

The seven year old boy was sick and tired of it, but nevertheless, there was nothing he could do but wait. And hope.

He was waiting for the next tragedy to befall on the people who had so generously taken him in. Luffy, for the life of him, could not comprehend the reason they wanted to keep him. Couldn't they tell that he was bad luck personified and placed into an unassuming vessel? Apparently not, as his repeated attempts at leaving had been foiled by their absolute insistence that he remain.

The thing was, Luffy honestly just wanted to leave. To get as far away from here as humanly possible. Maybe find a rock at the opposite end of the globe and vanish underneath it. Or a vacant cave in the middle of nowhere. Whatever worked. As long as he was in a remote place cut off from civilization, his hands would be clean.

Or, in his case, as clean as it was going to get with the blood of two people already staining them.

He didn't want to risk putting more people in jeopardy. But after the fourth try, it dawned on him that there hadn't been the option of leaving in the first place. Shanks, regardless whether Luffy had desired to stay or not, was adamant in ensuring Luffy made a full recovery. Reluctantly, the small boy momentarily gave up trying to escape, and focused on staying out of their way.

Thus, Luffy secluded himself from the occupants of the luxurious mansion.

Inside the confines of the guest room he temporarily slept in, the frail boy hoped. Luffy hoped that his lack of contact with these people could somehow prevent the catastrophes that could transpire because of him.

Until the day he was presented with an opportunity to escape, hoping was the only thing he could do.

* * *

><p>Shanks was good with children.<p>

Very few people knew this, and it made complete sense that Gol D. Roger was one of them. The man was his old friend, and at the same time, his respected mentor. Gol D. Roger was the person who Shanks inherited his thriving business from, and thus, the reason why he was one of the four wealthiest people on Earth.

In the end, there were many things that Shanks could thank his mentor for. But if he had to name the greatest, it would be this.

"_Would you take care of my son when I'm gone?" _

"_What?"_

Gol D. Roger rarely demanded anything from his friends. He preferred to do everything by himself. So when his mentor came to him that one afternoon, composed and solemn, Shanks found himself unable to refuse the man's request.

"_What are you talking about? Are you expecting something to happen to you?"_

"_Yes, Yes I am."_

Even after knowing his mentor for many years, Shanks would never claim to understand the older man. But if there was one thing the red haired man had learnt, it would be to not question the eccentric man's actions. Attempting to decipher his mentor's thoughts was a one way ticket to conjuring a migraine. Shanks did not ask a single question when his mentor suddenly retired and gave his flourishing business to him, and he wasn't planning to start any time soon.

Besides, the mustached man practically lived on adrenaline. His mentor chose a precarious life, and managed to survive so far. Shanks assumed the man would pull through. After all, his mentor had always pulled through.

Much later, when the news of his mentor's murder reached his ears, Shanks would look back and notice that the older man had said 'when', instead of his usual nonchalant 'if', when referring to his imminent death.

"_Okay. Why me? What about Rayleigh?" _

"_I haven't been able to contact him recently. So will you?"_

"_Me? Taking care of children? Are you out of your mind?" _

"_I thought you and Rayleigh established long ago that I was. Jokes aside, I trust you."_

"_We did, but we always hoped your insanity would assuage over the years. Apparently not. Well, if you put it that way, I can't refuse, can I?"_

"_This is coming from the man who drinks more alcohol than water. Was that a yes?"_

"_What do you think?"_

"_Thank you." _

Six months later, in the midst of mourning for his mentor, eight year old Portgas D. Ace was placed into his custody.

Shanks had been nervous. It wasn't a feeling he was accustomed to, the red haired man decided. Shanks was always confident as he had firm faith in his capabilities. Taking care of a child, sadly, was not one of them. Despite his apprehension, he had tried his best as a guardian. In the beginning, out of obligation and guilt, and later, out of genuine affection.

It didn't take very long for Shanks to realize that Ace was one of the best things that ever happened to him.

* * *

><p>Luffy's ingenious plan to avoid contact was thwarted after the second week. To his dismay, it was his overpowering curiosity that had ruined his taxing routine.<p>

It started when the small boy got lost on his way back to the guest room after dinner.

"Stupid mansion! Why are you so big?" Luffy muttered to no one in particular as he scrambled down yet another unfamiliar hallway. Just as he made a right turn, Luffy saw the indoor swimming pool he passed by just fifteen minutes ago. Frantic, the black haired boy let out an exasperated cry, flinging his arms in the air dramatically.

"I'm going around in circles!" Sulking childishly, Luffy drew his eyebrows together in annoyance, trying to recall whether he had gone right or left the last time. "I think I went right… " Luffy murmured under his breath as he tried the opposite direction, continuing his search for the missing guest room. "It has to be here somewhere… " It's not as if the room could have grown legs and walk, the boy mused.

The grandiose mansion was exactly like a maze. As the ebony haired child scuttled down another bright corridor, a thunderous shout distracted him from his current task.

"Kagero!" A distinctly male voice exclaimed. Luffy paused abruptly, his sharp ears quickly pinpointing the location of the noise. Heat haze… Now that sounded familiar. The seven year old boy shook his head to clear his thoughts. Somebody was nearby! Maybe he could ask for directions! At the prospect of returning to his room, Luffy visibly brightened. He made two more rights before he spotted the origin of the noise. Luffy stood in front of a large open door that led to a humongous training ground.

As he peeked in, the younger boy gasped. Ace stood in the middle of the spacious room, indifferent and shirtless as alluring embers danced across his exposed limbs. Several targets were set up around twenty five metres away. Luffy observed intently as both of Ace's hands were positioned to resemble a gun.

"Higan!" Ace yelled. The astounded boy gawped as ardent flames shot out from the tips of the freckled boy's index fingers like bullets, striking the bullseyes with seemingly no effort. Luffy was dumbfounded. He had never seen anything like that before.

And it seemed that the older boy was nowhere near done. "Hiken!" The ten year old boy cried out fiercely as he shifted into a martial arts stance. Ace's fist was swiftly encased by fire. Half a second later, the older boy launched the column of fire into the row of targets. The targets burst into flames, obliterated, as the resulting grey ashes drifted in the air. Luffy was speechless, his eyes dilated in instant admiration. Ace was amazing! Was that something he could learn? The inquisitive boy's head was swarming with a myriad of questions.

"That's so cool…" Luffy expressed, his shock-addled brain barely processing that he had said that out loud. The older boy noticeably froze.

"Who's there?" Ace demanded warily, turning rapidly to face Luffy's general direction.

Startled, the younger boy squeaked rather girlishly, before ducking behind the door frame. Luffy then proceeded to run as far as his legs could carry him, blatantly ignoring Ace's persistent screams. He was panting vigorously when he finally slowed down four or five hallways later. As the initial surprise wore off, a grin stretched across the boy's child-like features.

Now that had been fun.

As his adrenaline faded, the young boy could feel exhaustion setting in. He wanted to sleep… Luffy's eyes shot open as a horrible realization washed over him.

He was still lost.

Luffy promptly began banging his skull on the nearest wall.

* * *

><p>Ace was bored. He supported his chin was his left hand, staring at the clock. Idly, the freckled boy snapped his fingers, creating a small flame.<p>

Stupid Shanks. Why did he have to be late for dinner? He was hungry, damn it!

Toss. Catch. Toss. Catch. The flame was abused as it was flung again and again into the air, like a ball. Ace was fully aware that he shouldn't be doing this. Playing with fire was prohibited outside the training hall, but the older boy was certain that he wouldn't lose control. After all, it wasn't as if he was new at this. Smirking, Ace clicked his fingers consecutively, producing more flames. Feeling a little ambitious today, he began to juggle.

The boy swore as a stray flame landed on the expensive tablecloth. Shit, Makino's going to kill him! Ace juggled the rest of the flames with his right hand, while he frantically tried to extinguish the fire by whacking it with his left hand. Why wasn't it working? Panicking, Ace grabbed his glass of plain water. He poured it over the rapidly growing fire, breathing a sigh of relief as the flame successfully died down.

He was disrupted by childish laughter. His vision snapped towards Damien who was sitting across the dining table. Ace couldn't believe his eyes. The boy was actually laughing. This was the first time he had heard the boy's voice after that encounter at the training hall a week ago. Even though Damien showed up regularly during his training ever since that day, the younger boy still treated Ace like the plague.

Losing his composure, the older boy accidentally hurled the remaining flames at the chair next to him. Shanks's chair.

The unfortunate furniture burst into flames. Oh no.

"Ace!" The pair turned to the entrance of the dining hall. "What did I tell you about setting furniture on fire?" Shanks said, exasperated, although there was hint of amusement in his voice.

"You were late."

"And that gave you permission to viciously burn my chair?"

"I was bored. And starving." Ace stated with a straight face.

Shanks sighed, walking over and drenching his chair with the pitcher of water found on the dining table. The fire was swiftly put out.

"The furniture delivery drivers are right. You are a pyromaniac."

Luffy stayed in his seat, attempting to stifle his chuckles.

* * *

><p>"I know you're there, Damien," Ace said, staring pointedly in the direction of where Damien was. He hadn't meant to confront Damien but the boy's uncharacteristic behavior during dinner had led Ace to believe that he had made progress with the younger boy. So it wasn't a surprise when Ace decided to call the boy out on his stalking tendencies during training that very night.<p>

Behind the doorframe, Luffy was rooted to the ground at the mention of his other name.

"Come out. I'm not mad." Luffy started trembling. No, no, no, no, no.

Frustrated by the silence, Ace advanced towards the door. "Seriously, I'm not angry and I'm not going to hurt you." Luffy could feel his heart juddering against his ribcage. Get away. Get away, please! Ace walked out of the training hall to find Damien inhaling deeply, on the verge of a panic attack.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ace asked, concerned, as he reached out his hand to touch Damien's shoulder. The younger boy recoiled instantly.

"Don't come near me!" Luffy shrieked almost hysterically. "I'm bad luck! You'll die!" The fragile boy's coal black eyes were wide open in a mixture of fear and despair. Flashes of Mother and Sabo flew across his vision, and Luffy began to weep uncontrollably, sliding down to the floor. Ace was taken aback by the violent reaction. He felt guilt welling up before he quickly squashed it.

Ace's glaze hardened. He had had enough. Ace might not remember Damien, but intuition told the older boy that the person he knew had been anything but a coward.

"You're a wimp, you know that?" Luffy stiffened at the older boy's cold and accusing tone. Yes, yes he was, Luffy admitted.

"I don't know why you think like that but I can guess," Ace continued, squatting down to where Damien was cowering. He met the younger boy's red and swollen eyes steadily. "If it hurts to lose someone, then get strong enough to protect them." Luffy flinched but refused to speak. He wasn't like Ace. He was weak, pathetic, and constantly needed saving.

"Do you think whoever it was would be happy to see how you are now?" Luffy choked, salty tears leaking out of his eyes with renewed vigor. _No, they wouldn't._

_"Live the life my son didn't get to live." _Mother's parting words echoed in his head.

Ace was right. He had to become stronger. Remaining as useless as he was now was no different than spitting on Mother's and Sabo's graves. They had forfeited their lives for his. He should at least have the decency to live it properly. Determination filled the small boy. He would not screw this up too. If nothing else, he would ensure that he had a life worth living. Luffy owed that to them at least. He contained his sorrow, his sobs dying down.

The freckled boy's gaze finally softened as Ace patted Luffy's head fondly. "Come on, I'll train you." Ace offered his right hand, looking at Luffy expectantly.

The boy took it without hesitation, eyes shining with newly found resolve.

And that was the beginning of the fearless teenager who would wreck havoc on the government in ten years time.

* * *

><p>Cassie: Someone mentioned that the chapters were rather short. Truth be told, I've been trying to limit my writing as I've noticed that the chapters in the One Piece fandom are quite short. But since the issue has been raised, I would like to know if all of you would prefer longer chapters. Any other criticisms or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Cassie: You guys are amazing, you know that? Thank you for all your kind reviews, story alerts and favorites! Please enjoy. Oh by the way, mind the dates. They're important.

* * *

><p>March 2003<p>

"I'm telling you Shanks, that boy you found is no ordinary boy," a tall, black haired man stated. The man, whose long hair was tied in a low ponytail, inhaled deeply from his cigarette as he reclined into a glossy, leather couch. "This is not just a simple abused runaway case. Here, take a look." With that, the man threw a thin file on the sturdy, mahogany table.

Shanks picked up the file apprehensively.

"Ben's right. You sure know how to pick 'em, boss," a blond man clad in a dark blue shirt contributed as the red haired man skimmed through the contents of the yellow folder. "Turn to page four."

Shanks acquiesced and examined the information briefly, his scowl deepening with every line he read. "I see," the man with three scars across his left eye began, onyx eyes never leaving the file. "You think the government has something to do with this?"

"Well, they're not exactly being discreet," the flaxen haired man declared, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Damn right they ain't," a big-boned man wearing a striped green and white shirt injected as his normally cheerful face contorted with obvious disgust. "We could give them the benefit of doubt by assuming that the kid murdered his own mother. After all, you said that the kid was most likely abused so he definitely has the initiative. However, there's another boy who mysteriously vanished on the same day." Shanks raised an eyebrow, looking up at his friend. Seeing Shanks's inquiring look, Ben started to elaborate.

"The boy's name is Sabo. Last month, traces of his blood were found at the outskirts of Fuusha, near the local cemetery. As of now, his body is still missing," Ben explained gravely. The blond man beside him clenched his fists, his knuckles blanching white.

"I reckon the government took the corpse away to experiment on it. I won't put it past those sick bastards," the round man sitting across them cursed, an expression of rage flickering across his chubby face. Ben placed a steady hand on the agitated man's shoulder, attempting to calm him down. The man relaxed, albeit reluctantly.

"How are the incidences related?" Shanks asked impassively, his face dark.

"We don't know. But considering their age, the two kids were most likely friends," the slim blond man suggested. "But that's not the point. The point is that Fuusha has an extremely low crime rate. There's no way these incidences aren't linked," the man added, frustrated. "I don't like this, boss. I don't like this one bit. I have a kid around their age back in East Blue. This just isn't right."

"I agree," Shanks said, "But for now, we need to find out what's going on. Just how is the government associated with all of them?"

"Sabo's father works for them," the stout man paused, glancing at the blond man. "Speaking of which, Yasopp did a little more digging just yesterday night. A few days after these events, the man disappeared." Ben sat up straighter, leaning forward. He hadn't been informed about this.

"That just confirms it then. This is the government's doing," Ben affirmed, taking a long slow drag out of his cancer stick before putting it out with downward stabs in an ashtray.

"Any leads on what the motive is?" Shanks enquired.

"No, but Lucky Roo thinks that it's connected to that kid you found. Even though the other boy's father is directly related to the government, the fact that the boy's missing and most likely dead suggests that the boy could have been an innocent bystander." Yasopp replied.

"What would the government want with a kid?" Shanks pondered out loud.

"No idea. But turn back to page two; the boy certainly has some interesting background," Ben commented. As Shanks quickly scanned the new page, Ben resumed talking. "Supposedly, the kid died in a fire when he was three. Of course, they never actually found the body, but the government decided to declare the kid dead after he went missing for more than six months. Usually, it takes seven years, but they had good reason to believe the kid was dead. That's why there's still a grave with the kid's name on it in Fuusha's cemetery."

"The kid mysteriously reappeared two years ago. No one knows where he spent that one year he was missing. In the records, it states that the boy just showed up at his mother's apartment one day," Yasopp said. Seeing his friends' skeptical stares, he continued. "Suspicious, I know."

"Weirdness aside, Damien Pierce has a relatively normal background. His parents are normal citizens. His father, Lucas John Pierce, was unemployed while his mother, Lindsay Marie Stanley, was a psychologist," Lucky Roo informed them. Shanks felt a sense of nostalgia hit him as the man completed his statement. That name sounded really familiar…

"Is something wrong?" Yasopp inquired after seeing the man's expression. Shanks shook his head, and refocused on the topic.

"It's nothing," the red haired man assured convincingly. Glancing out the window at the rapidly darkening sky, Shanks closed his file. "Anyway, it's getting kind of late. All of you should start heading home. Carry on with the investigation and contact me when you find out something new," the man said. The rest nodded in agreement, packing up their things.

As his friends began to file out, Shank's mind began to wander.

Lucas John Pierce.

Now, just where had he heard that name before?

* * *

><p>November 1993<p>

This was hell, Shanks decided.

"I can't take it anymore! I beg you! Give me something alcoholic, Wendy!" The crimson haired teen beseeched dramatically, tossing aside his dignity. "If beer's not possible, give me vodka! I'll even take wine!" The slightly hysterical youth exclaimed, mild disgust flickering across his features at the last word.

The brunette who was currently feeding an eleven month old Ace paused in annoyance, her head snapping towards the desperate teenager. "Sir, with all due respect, you're seventeen! You shouldn't even be drinking at your age!" The young maid in her late twenties berated. The baby in her arms giggled. Look, even Ace was laughing at his misery.

"Oh, come on! We'll keep this between you and me. No one has to know!" The teen whined, persistent.

"No. I'm not risking my job just so you can have alcohol," the maid stated firmly, directing her attention back to the happy infant. Shanks sulked at her clear dismissal, collapsing on the red couch.

What kind of punishment was this? He wasn't allowed to work. He wasn't allowed leave his mentor's house. And now, he wasn't even allowed to drink! Shanks mentally cringed at his predicament. Remind him to never piss off Roger again. Not when his mentor knows his every weakness.

The teen sighed, resigned. Making himself comfortable on the lumpy couch, the almost adult decided to take a nap. At least this way time would pass faster.

He was dreaming of drowning Roger in a pool of beer when the door bell screeched. Shanks groaned miserably, shielding his ears. Was the entire universe against him today? Burying his face into a soft cushion, he growled, extremely annoyed with the fact that he was unable to fall back to sleep. After a moment of continuous self-pity, the red headed teen gave up. 'Forget it, I'll watch television,' Shanks grumbled, sitting up.

The creak of the front door drew his attention. The teenager turned to see the maid letting a tall stranger in, Ace still cradled in her arms. The man had spiky black hair and a few days stubble on his face. He also had no eyebrows.

"Wendy, it's been a while," the man greeted. Shanks narrowed his eyes at the familiarity the man was displaying.

"Yes, it has. I haven't seen you since we moved. How have you been?" The maid asked politely, smiling.

"Busy. Ace has grown a lot since I last visited," the stranger commented, looking at the sleeping baby affectionately. "He has his mother's freckles." Wendy laughed.

"You always say that," the green eyed woman remarked. Before the man could answer, Shanks cleared his throat, drawing both their attention. The maid frowned at him for interrupting.

"Who's he?" Shanks asked warily, examining the rather intimidating figure. The dark red tribal tattoos on the left side of the man's face made him appear sinister. The teen was suspicious.

"He's an old friend of Roger's," the brown haired maid said sweetly, shooting the teen a pointed look. "Show him to Roger's study, would you?" The maid asked with a dangerous smile. '_Behave, you little twat or you'll be vomiting your insides out tomorrow.' _

Shanks gulped nervously as he recognized that smile. "Sure, I guess. Right this way then, guy with weird tattoo- Uh I mean, Sir," the teen edited at the maid's impressive glare, leading the man up the stairs. 'She cooks your meals, idiot. Stop angering her before you end up poisoned,' the adolescent mentally chided himself as he brought the amused stranger down a corridor. Passing by several rooms, they finally arrived at his mentor's study.

"Roger, there's someone here to see you," Shanks announced as he opened the door without knocking.

Roger seemed to be preoccupied with some files. The teen grimaced, slightly worried. Ever since Rouge died eleven months ago, his mentor had been working incessantly. It was unhealthy, but Shanks supposed it was Roger's way of grieving. At least now his mentor was getting some decent sleep, which was more than he could say for the first few months.

At the sound of the teen's voice, the man looked up, surprised. Noticing his visitor, the man quickly composed himself and forced a smile.

"Dragon! To what do I owe this pleasure?" His mentor said, straightening up. Shanks could immediately see through the façade the man put up.

"I came to check on you," Dragon began, frowning. "And I was right to do so too. You don't seem to be coping well," the tall man accused. "Rouge would slap you if she could see you now." The teen saw his mentor flinched at the mention of his deceased wife's name. Roger dropped the pretense, fake smile vanishing from his tired face.

"It's really none of your business, Dragon," Roger stated, his voice strained.

"Oh, but it is. I can't believe Rayleigh hasn't snapped you out of this yet," the man continued, shaking his head. "It's been eleven months, Roger. You can't keep living like this."

"What would you know? It's not like your wife died during childbirth!" His mentor snapped resentfully. As quick as it appeared, the spike of anger faded. Roger's eyes widened at the words that came out of his mouth. Instantly, regret consumed the man. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Roger apologized, inhaling deeply.

"It's alright, I know you didn't mean it," Dragon said. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yes," the mustached man confirmed. Then, his mentor grinned weakly. "Now, as much as I'm honored that you came to check on me, I highly doubt that was the only reason you came."

"You know me so well," Dragon replied, smirking. "I need a favor, Roger. However, now may not be the best time," the man stated, glancing at Shanks briefly. The teen bristled at the obvious implication.

"It's alright, Dragon. He's trustworthy," Roger stated. Facing them both, the man said, "Shanks, meet my old friend, Dragon. Dragon, meet my apprentice, Shanks." Just like that, the youth's anger was rapidly replaced by pride.

"Ah, so this is the young man I've been hearing so much about. Nice to finally meet you," Dragon said, offering his right hand.

"I would say the same but Roger has never mentioned you," Shanks said sheepishly, shaking the man's outreached hand firmly. The man just laughed.

"No, he wouldn't have," Dragon said. Turning to Roger, the man started, "Back to the topic on hand, I need new identifications for a man named Dante Lucas Pierce."

His mentor simply nodded. "I see. Who is he hiding from?"

"The government," Dragon answered. "Make him an alias under the name Lucas Pierce. His girlfriend doesn't know the exact reason why they're moving to East Blue," the man added. "The man always thought the name Dante was weird. His girlfriend wouldn't be surprised if he officially changed his middle name to his first."

Roger didn't even hesitate. "Consider it done. May I ask why the government is after him?"

"Let's just say I convinced the man to do something that pissed them off," the man grinned mysteriously. On the sidelines, Shanks smiled as well. Anyone who aids in pissing the government off was a good man to him.

* * *

><p>March 2003<p>

Shanks was on his way to the dining room when he came across an interesting sight. Soundlessly, the red haired man walked into the training hall and leaned against the entrance, eyes following the fluid movements of two sparring kids.

It was clear who was winning. Ace had been doing this ever since the child was put into his care. He had years of experience and the skills to go with it. It was easy to see that in his fierce kicks and punches. The ten year old's attacks were forceful and precise, very much unlike the sloppy street bawling performed by teenage delinquents. Ace knew exactly where he needed to strike to cause someone pain. Shanks took great pride in the fact that the boy could take on adults twice his size and win almost effortlessly.

On the other hand, the man had to admit that Damien had talent. With each defeat, the younger boy only fought back with more vigor. It was incredible how fast the kid was learning. Unconsciously, Damien had been picking up Ace's techniques. The kid had already started to move a little faster, hit a little harder.

But perhaps the most admirable thing was the boy's determination. Shanks could tell that Damien's sprained ankle had not fully recovered. Despite that, the small boy continued to get up no matter how many times he got knocked down. The red haired man could see the unwavering will in Damien's sable eyes. It would still take the boy ages to get to Ace's level, but the man had no doubt that the boy could do it.

Staring at the two boys, Shanks felt relieved; ironic as any other adult witnessing this situation would probably be freaking out. The man chuckled. It was easy to see that that the children weren't actually fighting. Ace was holding back, and there was no tension in the surrounding air. It was almost as if the older boy was teaching the younger.

"Watch your stance, Damien. It's still unstable," Ace remarked, dodging a punch aimed at his jaw. Shanks laughed quietly to himself.

Strike that, Ace was definitely teaching Damien how to fight.

Shaking his head in amusement, the man finally decided to interrupt them.

"I see you two are getting along fine," Shanks said, grinning. The result was simultaneous. Two heads immediately whipped around to face him, punches and kicks halted. The red headed man briefly wondered how it came to this. Just yesterday, Damien had been avoiding them like the plague. Now, they were acting like long lost siblings. 'Whatever happened, I'm glad it did,' Shanks thought, looking at a smiling Damien.

"Of course we are. What are you implying?" Ace shot back innocently, lowering his fists.

"I'm not implying anything," Shanks said, playing along, "Time to take a break, kids. It's dinner time." Ace grinned.

"Good, I'm hungry! Let's go, Damien, before Makino comes to nag us." Ace said, heading towards the exit. Luffy followed the older boy wordlessly. As the black haired boy reached the door, he paused, looking up at the red headed adult. The boy seemed to hesitate for a moment before opening his mouth.

"Mr. Shanks, I think I want to stay here," the boy said softly. It sounded very much like a plea. Shanks's felt his heart clench.

"Oh really? What made you change your mind?" The man asked, trying to remain impassive.

"I really like it here." Luffy admitted sincerely, his gaze drifting down to the floorboards. The red headed man's eyes softened marginally. He squat down to the boy's level, looking at him seriously.

"Fine then, you can stay on one condition…" Shanks trailed off dramatically, eyes shining with mischief.

"What is it?" The seven year old asked nervously, eyes hopeful. Shanks just grinned.

"Call me Shanks," the man said, ruffling the boy's ebony locks. Luffy didn't flinch this time. Instead, the boy's eyes were wide in disbelief. "Come on, dinner's almost ready." Shanks declared offhandedly as he walked after Ace.

Slowly, a small smile formed on the boy's face.

"Hurry up, you two, or else I'll finish all the meat!" Ace shouted down the corridor.

* * *

><p>Cassie: Unfortunately, I have some very important examinations this year so I'm not sure whether my updates would ever be regular. However, I'll try my best. Okay, there's a few more chapters before a large time skip.<p> 


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